Patience
by kymbersmith90
Summary: Maybe one day, the pain will stop. Canon Divergence from 2x06 Tallahassee. What happens when Emma and Hook end up alone in the Enchanted Forest, and at the mercy of Cora?
1. Chapter 1

**Being stuck in hospital and then on bed-rest is giving me plenty of free time, so I've been playing with something new. Canon divergent is not my strong suit. I tend to avoid it at all costs. But I wanted to play around a little with these two. I'm hoping posting here will continue to motivate me to keep writing, even when I want to tear my hair out over it.**

* * *

"You know, I think you're warming up to me." Hook flicked casually at a clump of dirt that was clinging to his left knee. The giant just sat stoically in the corner, not saying a word.

It had been eight hours since the damned Swan Woman had left him at the top of that beanstalk, chained up like some common criminal.

"How much longer are you planning to sit there watching me?"

"Emma asked for ten hours." It was the first thing the giant had said to Hook, but he classed it as progress anyway.

"Excellent. Just another two hours to fill. What shall we talk about next? _Oh_ … How about female companions? Any interesting encounters there? I had this one woman… well, she was more of a whore, but I'm not one to judge… anyway, she loved having…."

The sound of Anton's groan drowned out the rest of Hook's words. He was starting to regret agreeing to this plan of Emma's, no matter how kind she had been to him.

* * *

Mary-Margret watched as Emma pushed her way through the forest, sighing every time they slowed down for refreshments or bathroom breaks. Emma hadn't said much since she'd jumped off that beanstalk. Just that they needed to put enough distance between themselves, and Captain Hook.

"Emma, Honey? Why don't we stop for the night? We need to be well rested to face Cora."

"We should keep going," was Emma's only reply. She didn't even bother looking back, and that hurt Mary-Margret more than it should have. She exchanged a quick glance with Mulan, but the four of them pushed on, following Emma's red, leather jacket further into the forest.

They finally stopped to make camp at a spot Mulan identified as being ideal for both surveillance, and out of the way of the ogres. Emma was exhausted by the time they did, sleep claiming her the moment she closed her eyes.

Her dreams were plagued with arrogant pirates dressed in black leather, and she found herself waking early. Mary-Margret had taken the first watch of the evening, but when Emma glanced around their makeshift camp, it was to see Mulan wide-awake by the fire.

"You should get some rest," Emma told her softly, not wanting to wake the others.

"You need it more," Mulan pointed out.

"Yeah… well… I'm awake now. Might as well make use of it."

Both women were incredibly stubborn, but Mulan could see this was not a fight she was going to win. So she quickly removed her sword belt, and armour, making herself comfortable enough to sleep on the cool ground.

Emma wasn't sure what was worse; sleeping and dreaming about _him,_ or being awake and analysing every moment of their time spent together on top of that beanstalk.

She'd done the right thing in the end.

Hook was a pirate.

One of the most notorious pirates in the land, if his reputation was anything to judge by.

He may not have lied to her since she called his bluff, when he was tied to that tree, but he would have betrayed them all in the end.

That's what pirates do.

 _Right?_

She sighed, standing up slowly from the campsite. She needed to move, needed to do _something_ to clear her head. Walking the perimeter seemed like a good idea.

She just needed to get that damned pirate and his pretty blue eyes out of her head.

"For God sake, Emma, stop lusting after Captain Hook," she whispered to herself, hoping that hearing the words spoken aloud would help her realise just how ridiculous the whole thing was.

"Well Love, that definitely gives us something interesting to talk about."

Before Emma could move a hand clamped down over her mouth, his hooked arm wrapping around her waist tightly as he pulled her back into the forest, further away from where her mother, Mulan and Aurora were sleeping.

"Now, how about you and I have a little chat about you leaving me at the top of that beanstalk?" he whispered, into her ear.

* * *

 **As always, thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I couldn't sleep last night, so here's another update for you.**

* * *

"What do you want, Hook?" Emma spat, when he finally released her.

"I wanna know why you left me at the top of that beanstalk, Swan. I wasn't lying to you. I _was_ going to help you."

"Why?" she asked, "Why would you help me? What could you _possibly_ get out of all of this? I'm not naïve. I might not have grown up here, but I know a thief is only out for themselves."

"Astute," Hook noted, fiddling with the tip of his. "My reasons are my own, but I would have helped you, Swan. I would have gotten you back to your son if you had _trusted_ me."

" _Would_? Does that mean you're here now to turn me over to Cora?"

"I don't know yet," he muttered, toeing at the ground. "I should. I should leave you to rot in this bloody place for what you did to me."

"But you won't." Emma was as shocked by the revelation as she was that she'd spoken the words.

Hook didn't bother responding to them. She was right. There was something about the bloody blonde in front of him that had him running straight back to her, even if she had left him shackled for ten hours with only a giant for company.

Emma moved over to a fallen log and sat down on it, stretching out her legs before her. For some reason, she wasn't ready to head back to camp just yet.

Hook didn't look over at her as he took a seat next to her, making sure to keep a respectable distance between the two of them.

"Tell me about your son."

"Henry," Emma answered, a smile lighting her face at just the thought of him. "His name's Henry."

"How old is he?"

"Ten." Hook's brow shot up in surprise and Emma shrugged slightly. "I was seventeen when I fell pregnant with him."

"And his father? He's not around?"

"He doesn't even know Henry exists," she admitted.

"Why not?" Hook wasn't pushing for answers, he was just genuinely curious.

Maybe that was why Emma felt more comfortable opening up to him than she had to anyone else in Storybrooke.

"He left before I found out I was pregnant."

Hook nodded his head in understanding. "He was the one you were in love with."

"Yeah."

A heavy silence hung between them for a while, Emma lost in thoughts of her past and Hook not wanting to break whatever fragile truce seemed to be forming between the two of them.

"Milah," he began suddenly, startling Emma, "She was married when I met her."

"Rumplestiltskin," Emma replied, already putting the pieces together.

"Aye. She wasn't happy with him. Begged me to take her away. So I did." Emma allowed Hook to lose himself in his memories, knowing he'd come back to her when he was ready. "They had a son together, Bae. She left him behind too. We talked about going back for him, but Milah always said a pirate ship was no place to raise a child. And as much as she hated that Crocodile, she knew he loved their son." He fell silent once more, before finally speaking the words that had been on his mind since he'd overheard that Emma was trying to get back home to her son. "I've already cost one child his mother. I'd never do the same to another, Emma."

And she knew it. Emma knew, with absolute certainty, that the pirate beside her was telling the truth.

"Thank you."

* * *

Mary-Margaret was shocked to wake the next morning to see Captain Hook amongst them, walking around like he owned the place. She tried catching Emma's eye to see what had happened during the night, but Emma seemed to be avoiding it at all costs.

"We should head out," she said, when Aurora returned after freshening up. "The last thing we need is to be caught out by Cora."

"I have a plan," Hook announced from his place, casually leaning against a tree.

"Thanks but I think we can manage on our own," Mary-Margret snapped back. She still didn't know what had happened on top of that beanstalk or why Hook was back.

But she knew that he couldn't be trusted.

Hook simply raised a brow in Emma's direction.

"What's the plan?" she asked, turning to face him.

"I was supposed to meet Cora today at a spot not far from here to hand over the compass. May I suggest a reconnaissance mission to find out her plan? Then a possible ambush when she opens the portal?"

"You want to ambush Cora?" Emma asked, disbelief dripping from her tone. " _Cora?_ "

"Do you have any other suggestions?" He was once again fidgeting with the tip of his hook.

"No," she admitted, a little childishly, "But I don't see that plan ending well for any of our hearts."

"Well Love, unless you have a fully functioning magic bean hidden somewhere on that _delightful_ body of yours, it's the only one we have." He threw in a cheeky wink for added effect and Emma willed her body not to react.

"You're disgusting," she threw out, turning her back slightly, to face Mulan, and hopefully hide her true reaction from him. "Could it work?"

"It would be tight. We'd need to wait for Cora to open the portal before we made our move. There wouldn't be much time when it's open to jump through it to get you home, while keeping Cora away from it. And if _he's_ lying to us…"

"He's not," Emma threw in.

"If he's lying to us," Mulan continued, "Then this could all fail and _we'd_ be stuck here while _they're_ in your world. Is that a risk you're willing to take?" she finished.

Emma turned her attention back to Hook then, the two of them sharing some kind of conversation through looks alone. Mary-Margret knew the moment the decision had been made as a smug smile wormed its way over Hook's face, while Emma sighed in defeat.

"It's the only plan we've got," was all she said before gesturing for Hook to lead the way. "Talk," she told him, hoping he had more of a plan for them to work with.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

After Hook had explained his plan to find out more about how Cora intended to get back to The Land Without Magic, the journey to the rendezvous point was mostly silent, with the exception of his whistling. Mary-Margret was pretty sure he was only doing it to annoy Emma, given that he got louder each time she huffed out a sigh.

When he threw out an arm to halt their movements, Emma stumbled slightly. She hadn't been expecting him to stop so soon and she almost ran into the back of him.

"Easy, Love," he teased, "I told you before, if you wanted to touch me there's no need to stand on ceremony. All you have to do is ask."

"Fine." Emma smiled sweetly up at him. "May I touch you?"

Hook's face dropped a little in shock and he simply nodded his agreement.

Emma kept the sweet smile on her face as she reached a hand out gently to his face, before raising it quickly to slap him round the head.

"Should have known that was coming," he snarked, rubbing the spot she'd slapped. "No matter." He leaned in a little closer, so that Mary-Margret, Mulan and Aurora wouldn't hear him, before continuing, "You'll beg me for it soon enough."

He raised his voice for the rest of the group to hear before calling back, "I should go the rest of the way alone. Cora will know something's wrong if I have you four trailing after me."

"How do we know you're not going to double-cross us?" Mary-Margret asked.

" _You_ don't." Hook took a moment to allow the sentence to settle between them before he turned back to Emma. " _She_ does. Trust your daughter, Your Highness."

Mary-Margret had so much she wanted to say in that moment but was thankful that Emma beat her to it.

"I swear, Hook, if you're lying to me, I'll take more than a hand from you." The fire in her voice didn't quite match the look in her eyes, however. Mary-Margret watched on in quiet fascination as Hook leaned in, his one good hand grasping Emma's elbow.

"I'll get you back to your lad, Swan. I swear it."

* * *

While his casual lean against a tree in the clearing, where he was supposed to meet Cora, screamed nonchalance, inside, Hook was anything but. In the space of less than two days, Emma Swan had barrelled into his life and turned it upside down.

He wasn't stupid, even if he often led people to believe he was.

He knew that there was something between him and the Swan girl. Something bubbling under the surface of his skin every time he was within touching distance of her. Something that had him spilling secrets he'd told nobody for over two centuries.

And now, here he was. About to double-cross one of the most dangerous witches he'd ever had the misfortune to meet, with the aim of getting Swan back to her son.

No… Captain Hook wasn't stupid.

But he might just be insane.

"Something on your mind, Captain?" Cora purred, running her hand over his shoulder and down his chest.

Hook had to force down the instinct to shiver under her touch. Thankfully, he'd gotten very good at manipulating women of _all_ ages over the years.

"Just waiting for you, Love," he told her, making sure his most charming smile was firmly fixed in place.

Cora didn't look like she brought it, but she didn't push either. Hook knew she didn't fully trust him, just as he didn't trust her. But their business arrangement still stood.

Or, at least, he thought it did.

"Do you have the compass?" she asked, straight to the point as ever.

"I do, as a matter of fact." Hook rocked back on his heels, allowing his glee to shine through. "Of course, it's not here with me." At the look on Cora's face he allowed himself to step a little closer to her. "Did you honestly think I would bring it with me?" he whispered seductively.

"Clever pirate," she praised. "The ashes will need a little push to make them work. The waters of Lake Nostos should do the trick."

"Lake Nostos?" Hook was confused. "If memory serves, there _is_ no Lake Nostos now. It's dried up."

"Do you really have that little faith in me?" Cora pouted and Hook found himself wanting to gag. He might have been a ladies man, but even he drew the line somewhere. "I can restore the waters of the Lake. Just bring the compass with you and we'll open the portal there."

"Okay," he agreed. "I'll need two days. Two days to retrieve the compass and then to make my way there."

"Two days, Captain. Don't keep me waiting." With that, Cora vanished into a cloud of purple smoke.

Hook waited another twenty minutes in the clearing, to be sure that she had truly left, before he made his way back to where he knew the others would be. It looked like Swan had paced a groove in the forest floor, but she turned to face him as soon as he broke into the clearing.

"Well?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking," he commented, sarcastically. At the look on Emma's face he hastened to add, "Two days at Lake Nostos."

"Lake Nostos doesn't exist anymore," Mary-Margret added helpfully. "It dried up the moment David killed the siren living in it."

"Siren?" Emma asked, before hurrying on with, "On second thoughts, I don't wanna know. How's a dried up lake gonna help me get home to Henry?"

"Cora is opening the portal there. She needs the water from the lake to activate the ashes. I told her I'd meet her there and bring the compass."

"Two days?" Emma exploded. "You couldn't have told her twelve hours or something?"

Hook brought his right hand up to rest on Emma's shoulder, turning her slightly to face him. "I know you're anxious to get home to your lad, Swan, but Lake Nostos is a day's journey from here on foot. And that's _if_ it doesn't storm _and_ we don't run into any ogres. Two days will give us the time we need to get there safely _and_ to rest." At Emma's huff of protest he hurried to add, "We all need to rest. Cora is an incredibly powerful witch. We might outnumber her, but we don't out-power her. Everyone needs to be on top of their game, which means _resting."_

Emma didn't want to agree with Hook. She didn't care about sleeping. She just wanted to get back to Henry. But she recognised that he was right.

"Fine."

Hook nodded to show that he'd understood, removing his hand from her shoulder and turning to head back to the camp they'd made. Emma caught his hook before he could get too far ahead.

"Don't make me regret trusting you," she whispered.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

Emma stubbornly refused to sleep and offered to take first watch over their camp that night. The others put up less of a fight than she had imagined they would. But they could probably tell that she wasn't going to give in.

"Here." Hook held out his flask to her, the silver catching the moon's light and sending it bouncing around their camp. "This might help you relax a little."

"I don't need help to relax," she shot back, but accepted the flask anyway, taking a healthy swig from it before she handed it back to him.

"Yeah. You're just _radiating_ relaxed there, Swan." Hook used his good hand to gesture up and down her body, before he flopped down next to her, somehow making the gesture seem graceful. "You know, if the rum's not helping, there's another way I could assist you." He winked in her direction and as much as Emma wanted to scowl back at him, she found herself laughing instead.

"Does that ever really work?" she asked.

"Apparently more on you than you'd like to admit, Lass." He waggled his brows playfully and Emma cursed the fact that he'd overheard her that first night.

"You're an ass," she told him, reaching for the flask once more.

"I think you like my arse, Swan." Emma didn't respond but Hook was painfully aware that she hadn't denied his claim either. So, he changed the subject. "I'll get you back to your Henry, Lass, or I'll die trying."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," she mumbled, toeing the ground with her boot. She shivered slightly as a breeze blew through the camp and Hook stood up to shift out of his jacket, before draping it around her shoulders. "Thanks."

"Why don't you get some sleep, Swan? I'll keep watch until dawn."

"I can't sleep. Not knowing that Henry's stuck back _there_ with the Evil Queen while I'm _here_. I just got my son back. I don't wanna lose him again."

Hook knew that Emma had revealed something huge about herself in that moment, but he could also tell that her posture was screaming at him not to ask, so he didn't. Instead, he changed the subject once more.

"There was this prince that I crossed paths with years back. Full of spunk but he really was an idiot." Emma threw an odd look over her shoulder but said nothing as Hook continued his story. "He was trying to win the heart of some fair maiden and he thought going up against the fearsome Captain Hook would do this. He was trying to take my ship. And I say trying because it was _an_ attempt, but it was never going to happen."

Emma let her mind drift as Hook continued his story, imagining him standing tall and proud at the helm of his ship, leading the charge against some faceless prince.

"Anyway, on the third attempt I was starting to get a little annoyed. The kid was wasting my time. So, instead of sending him back home to daddy with his tail between his legs, I decided to have a little fun." Emma cocked a brow in Hook's direction and took his flask when he offered it to her again.

 _When did he get so close?_

"We captured his people once more, and I had my men strip the prince down and tie him to the mast of his own ship. That was the sight that greeted his fair-maiden when the ship finally made its way back into port."

Emma couldn't have controlled her snort of laughter if she'd have tried. She could very well picture Hook doing such a thing and she knew that it must have caused a scandal to all who saw the naked prince.

"Let's just say the cold sea air hadn't done him any favours."

Hook was happy to see that his story had helped Swan relax, even if it was only a little. She'd been wound far too tightly since he'd met her. And that kind of tension was only going to lead to disaster when it came to facing Cora.

"You really think we can get the upper hand on her?" Emma asked.

"I'm not sure," he replied honestly, knowing Emma would see straight through any attempt to lie. "But shy of a fully functioning magic bean, it's the only option we have right now."

"What about your ship?" she asked. "Doesn't it fly?"

"What on Earth gave you that ridiculous idea?" Hook scoffed.

Emma considered explaining the Disney movie _Peter Pan_ to him, but she wasn't really in the mood for it right then. "Doesn't matter," she brushed him off. "If we get back to Storybrooke I'll explain it then."

" _When_ ," Hook stated confidently. "We'll find a way back, Swan. No matter what it takes."

* * *

When Emma woke again the next morning it was to find herself curled up in Hook's thick leather jacket. She was grateful for her inability to sleep-in, as it gave her the opportunity to return it without her mother looking at her like she'd grown an extra head.

By the time Mary-Margret was awake, Hook had gone to freshen up and Emma was already wide awake and snacking on the leftover rabbit meat from dinner the night before.

Hook returned not long after and the others packed up camp quickly before heading for Lake Nostos. Emma was surprised to see that Hook seemed to be able to navigate the land just as well as he could supposedly navigate the seas.

"How long have you been here?" she asked him, allowing the others to pull ahead of them a little.

"Here as in the Enchanted Forrest?"

"Yeah. I mean, for a sailor you seem to know your way around pretty well," she reasoned.

"I can't be sure," he began. "I've lived a long life, spent between many different realms. Time moves differently in each one, and after a while you stop keeping track. But I've been stuck here with Cora ever since the curse was enacted."

"Twenty-eight years," Emma supplied. At his quirked brow she continued, "It's been twenty-eight years since the curse. Regina cast it the day I was born. Henry found me on my twenty-eighth birthday."

"He sounds like a smart lad."

* * *

 **Thanks again for your support.**


	5. Chapter 5

Emma realized quite quickly during the next day why Hook had suggested that they meet with Cora in two days.

The forest floor was uneven, and full of hidden dangers that the three more experienced amongst them continued to point out to Emma and Aurora. When the sun reached its peak in the sky, Mary-Margret suggested they take cover, the sticky heat of the day already cranking up to an almost unbearable level. Although, it never once seemed to effect Hook, who continued on with his heavy leather jacket swishing around his knees.

Preparing food took much longer when everything had to be carefully foraged for, or hunted and skinned, before cooking could even take place.

By the time they'd made camp for the night once more, Emma's patience was wearing thin.

"Come with me, Lass," Hook offered, tugging lightly on her elbow, as she watched her mother skin another rabbit for dinner. Emma had never eaten rabbit before, and she hoped to God she'd never need to eat it again when she finally got home.

"Why?" she asked, wrenching her arm free from his grasp.

"Because you need to calm down and let off some steam before you do something you'll regret. So… come with me."

Emma wanted to protest, but the look on Hook's face was one she imagined he wore quite often on his ship. It was easy to see why he was captain when he wore it so well.

Hook guided them over to a small clearing he'd found, not far from their camp site, and Emma was surprised to find a sword imbedded into the ground, almost dead center.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Weapon's training," he replied, beaming back at her with boyish glee. "Have you ever handled a sword before?"

"I used one to slay a dragon a few weeks ago," Emma deadpanned.

Hook's eyes searched her face for a moment, and he was shocked to find that she was telling the truth.

"Before that?" he asked.

"No. Swords aren't big where I come from. Or dragons. We tend to prefer guns."

"Guns don't work too well here. They tend to draw unwanted attention," Hook drawled, moving over to free the blade from the ground he'd imbedded it into. "So, how about we work on your technique?"

"Seriously? A one-handed pirate wants to teach me how to use a sword?"

Emma regretted the words the moment they left her mouth. Hook was good at masking his emotions, much like she was, but she saw the flicker of pain in his eyes before he cut it off.

Unfortunately, she was also too stubborn to take the words back.

"You'd be surprised what this _one-handed pirate_ can do, Love," he threw back at her, before tossing the blade in her direction. "Well? You're not gonna win any battles just staring at the bloody thing. Pick it up," he instructed.

Emma bent to do just that, and when she looked back up, Hook was halfway through removing his jacket.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked.

"Making myself comfortable. I'd suggest you do the same." He used his hook to indicate Emma's own leather jacket, but she kept her stance, stubbornly refusing to bend to his will _too_ much. "Suit yourself," he sighed, draping his coat carefully over a fallen log, before he began making his way back to Emma.

She watched as he circled her a few times, his head cocked to one side, before he finally stopped behind her. "How the hell did you manage to slay a dragon?" he murmured, much quieter than Emma had expected.

 _And when did he get so close again?_

"Lucky shot?" she quipped, fighting back the sensations rising inside of her at his proximity. She couldn't explain the feelings Captain Hook invoked within her, but Emma knew that she didn't trust them and she _certainly_ didn't want them.

"Must have been," he agreed, before stepping in to her back. A retort was on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't get it out before Hook began kicking her feet around.

"Hey. What the hell are you doing?" she snapped.

"Correcting your stance," he explained. "Now move your damned feet."

"You neglected to tell me sword fighting lessons would be so personal," she grumbled, hoping he wouldn't hear her.

"That's because I know you'd refuse them if I had," he whispered, brushing her hair off her neck.

Emma shivered slightly, and told herself it was the cool breeze that had caused it, not the pirate stood behind her.

When she was finally into a position that Hook seemed to deem just right, he dropped both his hand, and his hook, down to her waist. Emma almost jumped out of her skin at the contact.

"Now, we need to work on shifting your weight," he instructed quietly. She turned her head slightly, watching him from the corner of her eye. Hook didn't seem to notice, too focused on the task he'd set himself. "If you can get your posture, stance, and weight distribution spot on, the rest will follow quickly. Now, move with me."

He spent the next ten minutes moving Emma's body, as he shifted her weight, showing her where to step and how to keep herself on the balls of her feet constantly.

Towards the end of their session, she could see why his lesson had been a good idea. Her movements were more natural than her instinctual responses had been under the library, against the dragon. With the weight of the sword in her grasp, it felt somehow lighter, and easier to maneuver, even if Hook wasn't showing her how to use it.

Emma had to admit, his teaching methods were spot on.

They were also, quite possibly, the most erotic moments of her entire adult life.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading and your support.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Small update to end the week.**

* * *

Emma actually managed to get some sleep that evening. She didn't know if it were her body's way of preparing her for what was to come, or if it was a result of the lesson Hook had given her. But either way, she felt better for it.

"You know, we haven't actually discussed what's gonna happen when we see Cora," she pointed out, as they cleaned up camp ready for the final part of their journey.

"Cora's a formidable foe, Love. We can't be certain what will happen once we face her."

"But surely there's some kind of plan," she pushed. "We can't just wait for her to open the portal then run and hope. That's never gonna end well."

While nobody else said anything, Emma could tell that their silence was their own way of agreeing with her.

"Then I suggest the old classic." At Emma's quirked brow, Hook continued, "Take me 'hostage' and use me for leverage."

Emma snorted out a laugh. "That's _not_ gonna work. Why would she care enough about you to make that trade? You might be pretty, but I'm not sure you're her type."

Instead of being offended by Emma's words, Hook chose to focus on the content of them instead. "I'm flattered that you think I'm pretty, Swan. Obviously, I find you quite pleasing too." Emma rolled her eyes as Hook continued, "So… if I'm not Cora's type… am I yours?"

"Oh, please," Emma scoffed, "Get over yourself."

"Perhaps," Mary-Margret interrupted, somehow fascinated by the exchange between her daughter and the pirate, and equal parts horrified. "We could try it the other way around?"

"Excuse me?" Emma asked, a look of alarm flitting across her face.

"Instead of using Hook as leverage, we could use me. Have him take me to Cora as a hostage. To help cement his loyalty. Then, if you can distract her long enough, Captain, I can steal the ashes."

Emma was reluctant to admit it, but her mother's plan was actually quite a good one. It was certainly the best they had. But there was clearly one major flaw to it.

"Okay," she agreed. "I could get on board with that."

Mary-Margret looked almost as shocked as Hook did, that Emma was agreeing to the plan.

"But I should be the one he presents as a hostage."

"What? No. That's ridiculous, Emma. I'm the best person suited to this job. Let me go."

"I was a pick-pocket, remember?" Emma raised a brow in her mother's direction. "And a damned good one too. If anyone can get those ashes away from Cora, without her noticing, it will be me."

"It's too dangerous," Mary-Margret protested. "What if something happened to you?"

"Then it would happen with me knowing I did absolutely _everything_ in my power to get back to my son."

It was hard to argue with the fierce passion burning behind Emma's eyes, and for a moment, the entire forest was eerily silent. Mary-Margret didn't look happy about the change of plans, but she didn't protest it either.

Fed up with the slightly awkward atmosphere, Hook quickly jumped in to add, "Now that's been decided, how about we continue our journey. This will have all been for naught if we fail to meet with Cora on time."

* * *

The rest of the walk to Lake Nostos was tense.

The group seemed hyper aware of the danger they were walking into, and instead of bickering with each other, they spent the time in quiet contemplation.

Noon had just passed when Hook threw out his arm, to stop them from moving any further.

"This is it." He dropped his voice, aware that Cora had eyes everywhere. "Swan and I should go the rest of the way alone. I'd suggest coming around the back of the lake, through the denser forestry, to avoid being seen."

"We still have a few hours walk to go," Mary-Margret protested. She wasn't yet ready to be separated from her daughter.

Again.

"I know. But we can't risk Cora seeing us together. That will ruin everything."

Emma nodded her agreement. As much as she loathed to admit it, Hook was right.

"Here." She fished inside her jacket pocket, pulling out the golden compass they'd acquired, what seemed like a lifetime ago. "Probably best for you to keep hold of that. Just in case things go wrong. At least then, Cora won't be able to get back to Storybrooke."

"Emma." Mary-Margret stepped forward, lifting a hand to her daughter's face, but Emma took a small step back. She still wasn't used to thinking of the other woman as her mother.

"Just… Whatever happens, get back to Henry."

Mary-Margret nodded her agreement before turning to head off in the opposite direction with Mulan and Aurora. Emma waited until the three of them had disappeared from her line of vision, before she turned back to face Hook.

"So, how do you wanna do this?" she asked.

Hook let the most salacious look crawl across his face, as he held up a length of rope. "Oh Swan, light bondage has never looked so good."

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	7. Chapter 7

**One last one to round off the week.**

* * *

"Watch your footing, Lass," Killian chided, grabbing for Emma's arm to help steady her.

"You know, I'm pretty sure this whole plan was just a ruse for you to tie me up and do what you want with me," she grumbled.

Killian had bound her wrists in front of her, before they'd set off again. He wasn't willing to take the chance that Cora wouldn't be watching them, as they made it closer to the Lake, and Emma had agreed with him.

"Darling, if I wanted to tie you up and have my way with you, we would not still be trekking through these woods." He arched a brow in her direction and Emma forced herself _not_ to think of what that alternative would look like.

"How much further?" she asked instead.

"Not long now."

"Guess you should start playing the Big Bad Captain Hook, then," she mumbled, watching her feet so she wouldn't trip over something else, and give him another excuse to touch her.

"Don't worry, Lass. Cora knows I'd never be able to resist such a beautiful woman."

* * *

Emma knew the moment they'd reached the lake.

She didn't know if it was the magic that used to reside in its waters, or the clearly evil aura that seemed to surround Cora, but she could feel it raising the hairs on the back of her neck.

A quick look at Hook confirmed that he could feel it too, and Emma watched as he transformed from the quick-witted captain she'd come to know, into the carefully calculating pirate that she was just meeting.

She could understand now how Hook had survived for so long.

"Ahh, Captain, you've brought a guest," Cora drawled, as Hook gave Emma a shove forward. She stumbled a little under his forceful push, but managed to maintain her footing.

"She keeps getting in my way." He threw Emma a look that was a little disturbing, before turning back to Cora.

Hook _definitely_ knew how to play his role well.

"You could have just killed her," Cora purred, running a hand down Hook's chest, that had Emma fighting back the urge to gag. "Or was she too pretty for that?"

Hook carefully removed Cora's hand from where it had wandered down his naked torso, and turned back to face Emma. "I thought she could be of use to us. _We_ have never been to the Land Without Magic, but _she_ has. Can't hurt to have someone with knowledge of the place we're going."

"Hmmm." Cora didn't seem convinced, but she didn't push the issue either. "Okay, Captain. Are you ready to exact your revenge?"

The look in Hook's eyes had Emma reeling slightly. The thirst for revenge, the desire to hurt, and that glee that his target was finally in sight. It was a startling reminder that Hook was _not_ good for her.

 _Damnit, why did the hot ones always have to be the dangerous ones?_

"Do you have the compass with you?"

"Aye," Hook lied smoothly, patting at his heavy leather coat. "But I think we're missing something." He used his hook to gesture around himself, at the barren landscape that had once been Lake Nostos.

"So little faith, Captain." Cora raised both of her hands in a somewhat dramatic motion, and for a moment, nothing happened.

Emma felt the rumble beneath her feet before she saw the geyser open not far from where Hook was standing, water shooting out into the air above them, before it began raining down. The next one opened on the other side of the lake. And before Emma knew it, Hook was dragging her back to avoid the opening under her feet.

"Careful, Lass," he whispered, as her boots scrambled for purchase on the now, wet and slippery ground.

With the water rapidly filling the lake, Emma cast a desperate glance around the surrounding woods, hoping that her mother, Aurora, and Mulan were in place and ready to act. She needed the distraction they would provide if she had any hopes of getting close to Cora.

"The compass now, Captain?" Cora called out, holding out a hand as if she were expecting it to fly out of his coat and into her palm.

And maybe she was… because the thunderous look on her face had Hook quickly backing away, his hook working the ropes that were binding Emma's wrists.

"Ahhh, so… um… I may have misplaced it." He was stalling, and Emma could tell. If Emma could tell, it meant Cora could too, and neither of them had long to make their plan work.

"Misplaced it?" she asked, with a deadly calm.

"When I say 'misplaced' what I really mean is…"

Hook was cut off suddenly by the sound of Mary-Margret's voice. And Emma had never been so grateful to see her mother before. "He means _I_ have it."

Cora looked back and forth between the new arrivals, at the lake, and Hook, who was slowly moving away from Emma, drawing the witch's attention from her.

She quickly finished pulling the ropes from her wrists, before slowly edging around the lake, hoping she wouldn't draw attention to herself.

"You betrayed me?" Cora asked, fire burning behind her eyes just before Emma saw it spring to life in her palm.

"Not exactly," Hook rambled, holding up his hook and hand in supplication. "They made me a better offer. What kind of pirate would I be to resist?"

Emma inched ever closer to her target, while Cora advanced on Hook, the fireball in her palm spinning restlessly. "Oh really, Captain? Are you sure it wasn't the promise of a pretty and willing young woman that swayed you?"

Emma resented that accusation.

She was _not_ easy _._

"What about your revenge?" Cora pushed, stepping forward for every two steps back Hook took. Emma was behind her now, biding her time for the perfect moment to make her move. She only hoped Hook would be able to keep the witch occupied long enough.

And not die in the process.

"Would you really throw away your quest for revenge? Your pursuit for _justice?_ For the woman you love? Over some pretty blonde that will never look at you again?"

Emma was just in touching distance when Hook began his defense. She thought she saw a hint of worry for her, in his eyes, but quickly brushed it away. She didn't have time for distractions.

"I will still have my revenge," he vowed, as Emma slid her fingertips into the top of Cora's pocket. "I _will_ see justice served. The Crocodile will not walk away from what he has done."

Emma's entire hand was now inside of Cora's pocket, her fingertips brushing against the velvet bag full of ashes from the wardrobe.

"But my passage to the Land Without Magic will be much safer without a witch like you in tow."

Emma used Cora's momentary pause, over Hook's biting tone, to grasp the bag and pull it out of her pocket as quickly as she could. She tossed the ashes in the direction of Mulan, who caught the pouch effortlessly. But the time she took to do so, gave Cora just enough time to spin around, the fireball fading into nothing, as the witch plunged her hand into Emma's chest.

* * *

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	8. Chapter 8

The first thing Emma became aware of was the devastating pressure around her heart. It really did feel as though someone were trying to crush it.

The next thing, was Hook's agonized cry of, "No!"

She didn't have time to try and figure out what the hell was going on. The moment Cora began to tug, something inside of her ignited. A long-buried instinct flared to life, urging Emma to _do something._

To protect herself.

The next thing she knew, Cora was being thrown clear across the lake, and Emma dropped to her knees at the relief her body felt. Hook was by her side in an instant, helping to pull her to her feet as he yelled, "Don't just stand there. The ashes. Use them."

Emma lifted her head to watch as Mulan opened the pouch and upended the contents into the waters of Lake Nostos.

For the longest second, nothing happened, and Emma worried that it had all been for naught.

Until the water before them began to swirl, gathering around the space where the ashes had touched. "Come on, Lass," Hook encouraged gently. "That portal won't stay open for long."

"Seen many?" she teased, attempting to cover the quaver in her voice from the effects of Cora's fist in her chest.

"More than my fair share," he replied genuinely.

As the swirl of the water picked up, Mulan; Aurora; and Mary-Margret gathered around the pool, the compass held tightly in Mary-Margret's fist as they waited for the rest of their party to join them.

When Emma finally reached for the compass, it was with Hook still supporting the majority of her weight. She saw him give her mother a slight nod, and as one, the group prepared to jump.

In that split second before she could feel the telltale wind, whipping her hair around her face, and that bottomless, weightless feeling of falling, she felt something else.

A sharp tugging sensation that seemed to be coming from behind her.

Emma realized what it was just as Hook let go of both her, and the compass.

"No!" she yelled, letting go of her own grip on the golden trinket to grab onto the cuff of his coat.

When she turned back, the portal was gone, along with her mother, Mulan and Aurora.

"Oh, you really are a stupid little girl," Cora chuckled, before everything went black.

* * *

Emma groaned, as consciousness slowly returned.

"You okay, Lass?" That voice was familiar, but right now, she couldn't put a name to it. Her head pounded, her heart ached, and her throat was unbearably dry. "Here, this might help a little."

There was a sudden shock of cool metal against her lips, and then the wetness of rum, as it burned down her throat, leaving behind a fire that finally shocked her to her senses.

"Hook?" she asked, pulling herself upright maybe a little too fast, given the way the room span.

"Careful." He reached out a hand to help steady Emma against the wall at her back, and she used the time to take in her surroundings.

Room, had apparently been the wrong word.

Cave was more like it.

"Where are we?" she asked, the words coming out rougher than she liked.

"I don't know," he replied softly. "The last thing I remember is you grabbing my coat." Hook's eyes took on a darker look now, as he reached up a hand to massage away the pounding in Emma's head. "Why did you do it, Swan?"

"Do what?" she moaned. For a one-handed pirate, he certainly knew how to put it to good use.

"You could have jumped through that portal and been back with your lad by now. You _should_ have jumped through it. What were you thinking, Emma?"

Emma couldn't really answer Hook's question, because she didn't understand why she'd reacted that way in the first place. All she knew was that she didn't want to leave him behind.

Not after he'd done so much to give them their chance to get back home, to Henry.

"You'd have done the same for me," she settled on eventually.

"Aye. I would have." The words were whispered into the darkness of the cave, and hung heavily in the air. Both of them knew he was telling the truth. And both of them knew that it had shocked him to realize it.

When Emma's pounding head faded to a dull ache, she shifted, allowing Hook's hand to fall, as she patted the floor beside her. "I take it you've already explored this place?" She nodded at the darkness around them as Hook moved to drop down next to her, careful not to sit too close, but close enough that Emma could feel his heavy coat, brushing against her thighs.

"Aye. The only way in or out appears to be through a locked door. I'd guess a few inches thick, as I couldn't rattle it putting my weight behind it. I couldn't get far enough into the lock to pick it with my hook, either."

Emma nodded her understanding. She'd figured as much. Cora wouldn't have been stupid enough to leave Hook with his namesake, in a prison easy to break free from.

"Got a plan?" she asked, quirking a brow in his direction.

"To escape?"

Emma nodded her head.

"No," Hook replied bluntly. "To pass the time...? Many."

She didn't know how he'd managed it, but Hook's charm was back faster than she could blink, and the pirate beside her was suddenly oozing sex and danger.

"Do you ever give up?" she chuckled, stamping down those feelings inside of her once more.

"Not when I think there's a chance."

* * *

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	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry this didn't post last night. Work dropped into my inbox that kept me distracted.**

* * *

Emma shivered again, as another cold wind blew through the cave. Hook pulled her in a little tighter, hoping that the combination of his heavy leather jacket, currently wrapped tightly around her, and his own body heat, would help keep her warm enough to continue sleeping.

She'd finally fallen asleep a few hours ago, after protesting that she was too wound up to get any. Hook knew that if they stood any chance of escaping from their current prison, Emma would need as much rest as she could get. But, from the moment her breathing had evened out, she'd begun slowly torturing him, with her mumbles.

At first, it was too incoherent for him to pick out any words. But, as the minutes passed, one word because discernable over, and over, again.

" _Henry."_

Every time she mumbled her son's name, Hook hated himself that little bit more.

She should be home, holding Henry in her arms, instead of stuck in a cold damp cave, with only him for company. He'd already taken one mother from her son. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he took another.

Hook needed to find them a way out of their prison, and back to this Storybrooke, so the beautiful Swan in his arms could be reunited with her son.

* * *

"Is she planning on starving us to death?" Emma asked, as she paced the length of the cave. She wasn't entirely sure how long she'd been awake, but she knew she was hungry. Emma and Hook had snacked on berries, on their way to Lake Nostos, but she hadn't really eaten anything of substance since that morning.

 _Or maybe it was the morning before?_

Without a window in their prison, Emma had lost all track of time.

"Possibly. Maybe she hopes one of us will turn on the other, if we become desperate enough for food?" Hook reasoned.

"Seriously? You couldn't offer _some_ kind of false hope there?"

"What's the point? You'd see right through the lie," he reminded her gently.

"Yeah… but… now I have images of you waiting until I fall asleep to eat me." Emma shuddered a little at the idea of Hook, in one of those Hannibal Lecter masks.

"Oh, Darling," Hook drawled, "I'd want you fully awake for when I get the chance to feast on that glorious body of yours."

Emma turned startled eyes his way, to take in the salacious look crawling over his face. "Did you _really_ just turn cannibalism into an innuendo?"

"What can I say?" he shrugged, "You bring out the romantic in me."

She couldn't help the bark of laughter that left her at that one. Somehow, Hook's flirting had gone from annoying her, to entertaining her. And she couldn't deny that it was nice to have the attention. While Emma had been hit on plenty of time in her life, most guys turned their attention elsewhere, when she made it clear nothing was going to happen. Hook, however, seemed to relish the challenge she was presenting to him.

"Here, have a drink," he offered, holding out his flask for her to take. "It might not be food, but at least it will help wet your tongue a little."

Emma took the flask from him and shook it gently, feeling the liquid inside sloshing around. "How is this still full?" she asked, uncapping it to take a swig, before she passed it back. "Didn't we drink most of it last night?"

"Enchanted flask, Love. Never runs dry."

"Of course you have a never-ending supply of rum," she sighed. "Heaven forbid the big, bad, Captain Hook have something more practical on him… like a never-ending supply of water."

"Why on Earth would anyone wish for a never-ending supply of _water_ , if they could have rum instead?" Hook looked genuinely confused by Emma's statement, and once more, she couldn't contain the snort of laughter that left her.

Hook had managed to make Emma laugh more in the short time they'd known each other, than anyone else had in the last twenty-eight years of her life.

"What are we gonna do?" she asked after a moment, the atmosphere in the cave instantly shifting, as Hook picked up on Emma's mood.

"I can't imagine that Cora plans to just leave us here to rot, Love. She wants to get back to Regina. And she'll use _you_ to do it. We just need to wait until she's ready to make her move, and then we need to be ready to make _ours_."

Emma flopped back down onto the stone floor, her knees bent up, so she could rest her arms across them.

"Got any stories to pass the time with, Captain?"

"A couple of centuries worth," he told her, sliding down to sit beside her.

"Centuries?" Emma's eyes slid up and down Hook's body. Taking in his decidedly youthful appearance.

"Why Darling, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to mentally undress me," he teased, his tongue coming out to lick slowly along his bottom lip.

"Maybe I am." The words slipped out before Emma could truly think them through.

The sound of Hook's flask, hitting the stone floor, was the only noise that could be heard, for the longest second.

"Well now," he finally forced out. "This is an interesting turn of events."

Emma opened her mouth, to attempt to take the words back, when the sound of grating metal on metal echoed loudly throughout the cave. She shared a brief look with Hook, who was already on his feet, and by her side, before she turned her attention fully to the only door in the room.

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 **Thanks for reading.**


	10. Chapter 10

"Well this looks cozy," Cora announced, as she made her way into the cave. "A little chilly, but I guess that just adds to the atmosphere."

Hook could feel Emma's anger curling inside of her. It was radiating around her, swirling through the air in a way that he'd never felt before.

"I've had worse," she told the old witch. He nodded his agreement, but kept most of his attention focused on Cora. While he'd known her longer than he had Emma Swan, he definitely trusted the feisty blonde, by his side, far more than he ever had the old hag in front of him.

Cora wasn't entirely sure how to reply to Emma's comment. Hook imagined that she had pictured Emma's life, full of luxury, in the past. But the more he came to knew of the Swan girl, the more he realised the two of them had in common.

"Don't get comfortable," she finally settled on. "We'll be leaving shortly." At some unspoken command, one of her heartless minions entered the room, carrying a tray in his arms, with what Hook guessed was food. It was placed in the space between where he and Emma were facing off against the witch, before the minion took his own place just behind Cora.

"And where will we be going?" Emma asked, folding her arms across her chest defiantly.

"You really should learn to keep your women in line, Captain."

Hook wasn't sure who was more offended by her comment - him or Emma? But Cora didn't give them any time to reply before she was disappearing out of the cave in a swirl of purple smoke.

The door was locked once more, before Emma finally turned away to face him.

"Who the hell does she think she is?" Swan demanded. " _'Keep your women in line?_ ' What century does she think we're living in?"

"I believe the comment was made to get under your skin, Swan. And it looks like it's working," Hook chuckled.

Emma threw him a death-glare, before she cast her attention down to the silver tray between them. Her tummy gave a loud rumble, at the mere thought of food, but she made no attempt to approach it. "Do you think she poisoned it?" she asked carefully.

"I doubt it," Hook replied honestly. "If she had wanted to kill us, we'd already be dead by now. She _needs_ us. Or, at the very least, she needs _you,_ Emma. So, I assume it's safe to eat."

"Not all poisons kill," Emma pointed out darkly.

Hook nodded his head in a rough form of agreement, before he sauntered forward to examine what was on the tray. Cora had provided them with a selection of fruits, and some meat, which he assumed one of her minions had slaughtered for her. Cora was never the type to get her own hands dirty. It was why she had hired him, after all.

Emma watched as he used his hook to look through it all thoroughly, before he picked up one piece of each item on the tray, and one-by-one, tossed them into his mouth.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked, rushing to his side. "I just said not all poisons kill. What if she's done something to _that_ to make you into another of her mindless slaves?"

"Then we'll soon find out," Hook countered. "Swan, it's obvious that she needs you, more than she needs me. I'm just collateral damage. _If_ this food is poisoned, it's better we find out now, through me. If it's not, then you can finally eat something. Because… no matter what Cora has planned for us, you're going to need your strength."

Emma didn't look like she was happy with the plan, but given that Hook had already consumed his handful of food, she had no choice but to agree to it.

He moved back over to the wall they had been using to sit against, before Hook patted the dusty floor beside him; a silent invitation that Emma should join him.

"Now, I believe we were in the middle of discussing just how irresistible you found me," he drawled, "before we were so rudely interrupted."

Emma threw herself down beside him, as she huffed out a laugh. "Dream on, Buddy. I was simply wondering if the rest of you was as youthful in appearance as your face is."

"Would you like to check?" He raised that damned brow of his again, and Emma felt her thighs clench unconsciously.

"I'll take your word for it," she deflected. "So… how old are you, exactly?"

"Exactly? I couldn't tell you," he replied honestly. "After a while, I just stopped counting. It didn't seem important. Besides, time moves differently in different realms. All I know for sure is it's more than two-hundred, but less than three."

" _Two-hundred_?" Emma gasped. "You're over two centuries old. Fuck me."

"I do believe I've been suggesting that for a while now."

Emma rolled her eyes at his retort, having fully expected it the moment the profanity left her mouth. "How does someone live to be _that_ old?" she asked, instead.

"You'd be surprised what someone can achieve when they are driven by a desire for revenge," Hook replied ominously.

"Milah," Emma stated, as though that explained everything. "Would you tell me about her?"

"Would you tell me about _him_?" he countered.

Emma couldn't bring herself to look at Hook after his question.

He'd been right on that beanstalk.

There was something about the way that he looked at her. Like he could see right through all of those walls, and layers of bullshit, she used to protect herself.

And she knew.

She knew that if she looked at him right then, he'd see right through her once more. Emma wasn't ready for that to happen… just yet.

"Not right now," she replied eventually, drawing patterns into the dust with her fingertips.

"Didn't think so," Hook sighed, as he dropped his head back to rest against the wall of the cave.

* * *

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	11. Chapter 11

"Hey! Open this fucking door."

Hook hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep, until he woke to the sound of Emma's fists beating on the heavy wooden door of their cell, and her screams for attention.

"Swan?" he asked, already on his feet and alert. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," she lied. "I just want them to _open this fucking door._ "

Hook cocked a brow in Emma's direction, trying to work out what was going on with her.

She caved after a few long seconds, knowing he wasn't going to let the issue drop. "I have to pee," she admitted, a little embarrassed at the admission.

"Oh," he replied, clearly taken aback by her explanation. "Well… go ahead." Hook waved a hand in the direction of a dark corner of the cave. "I won't watch."

"I don't care if you do," she blurted out, before rushing to correct herself, at the look that was working its way onto his face. "I mean… I'd rather you didn't. If you're into that sort of thing, you're _really_ barking up the wrong tree here, Buster. I just…. We don't know how long we're gonna be here. We're both gonna need to pee, at some point. And it's gonna start to smell, really fast. Not to mention the splash-back issues. She's essentially stripping us of our basic human rights."

"Splash back?" Hook asked, picking up on the one part of Emma's speach that she'd hoped he would miss.

"I'm a woman. I don't have the luxury of just whipping it out and going where I want."

The lighting in the cave was dim, but Hook imagined that if it had been brighter, he would have seen the colour working its way into Emma's cheeks, and down her neck.

He wondered if that beautiful blush would spread any further down her body?

" _Open this fucking door!"_ Emma tried again, snapping him out of his thoughts.

She was clearly experiencing some discomfort, so now was really not the time for him to be imagining her naked, flushed from the mind-blowing orgasm he knew he'd be able to give her.

When nothing happened, Emma kicked at the door, to take her mind off the way her bladder was screaming at her, before she limped her way back to his side.

"Feel better?" he asked smugly.

"Oh, please, like you've never hit something for the sake of satisfaction before?" she challenged.

Hook was about to make some kind of smartass reply, when the sound of the locks turning on the door made them both freeze in their tracks.

"Finally," Emma huffed out, as a number of Cora's heartless minions made their way into the room. "I need to use a bathroom," she clarified, but they didn't seem to be listening. Instead, two of them reached for her arms, grabbing hold roughly, to begin pulling her in the direction of the open door.

" _Hey_ ," Hook protested, reaching for the minion closest to him, to pull him off Emma. "Leave her alone."

The heartless man turned at the first touch of the hook to his shoulder, and landed a firm punch to the pirate's gut.

"Killian!" Emma screamed, watching on in horror as two of the minions attempted to drag her from the room, and the other three set about making sure Captain Hook wouldn't attempt to follow them.

She kicked, punched, scratched, and bit at any part of a body that came close to her, in an attempt to get back to Hook. One of the minions had hit him in the face with something heavy, and he was down, struggling to get back up under their constant blows.

"Hook!" she tried again, pulling against the hands that were slowly dragging her from the room.

"Fond of the pirate, are we?"

The voice came just as Emma was hauled through the doorway, and she snapped her head round to see Cora, standing in the middle of what appeared to be a dark hallway. The witch was once again dressed as though she thought herself a queen, and had her hands clasped elegantly in front of herself.

"He's a friend. Of course I care," Emma lied. "Not that you'd know anything about that." With their master now stood before them, the minions didn't seem to feel the need to be as aggressive as they had been, so Emma shook off their hold in an attempt to try and gain some control over the situation.

"Really?" Cora asked, ignoring Emma's taunt. "You'd give up your only chance to get back home, _to your son_ , for just a friend?"

Emma held her head high, not wanting to give the witch the satisfaction of getting to her. But deep down, she knew that Hook was more than just a friend.

Cora was right.

There was some gut instinct inside of her, that had told Emma to fight for him, in a way that she knew she never would have fought for someone like Ruby, or Ashley.

"What do you want?" she snapped. "Are you attempting to learn how to make friends? Because, I have a little hint for you, if you are. Kidnapping is never the best way to start a friendship."

Cora bit back a snarl at the blonde's tone. She _hated_ that she neededEmma Swan to get back to her daughter. The girl was everything she had trained Regina not to be.

And the pirate was even worse.

But, Emma Swan had made a big mistake, throughout all of their encounters.

She had shown a weakness.

And it was for _him_.

So, Cora would keep Captain Hook alive, _for now_ , just in case she needed leverage over the younger woman.

"I was told you needed to use a restroom," she stated, emotionlessly. "You'll find one just through there." With a grand wave of her hand, a door to Emma's left creaked open, and Cora disappeared in a swirl of purple smoke.

Emma took a moment to look between the now-open door, and the empty hallway, before finally edging her way over to it. The room was so dark, she couldn't see anything inside of it. As soon as she had cleared the threshold, the door behind her slammed shut, before a torch on the wall flared to life.

"Restroom my ass," she mumbled, as she took in the sight of the small bucket, placed in the center of the small room.

* * *

 **Thank you for your patience with this update. I was focusing on finishing off Rule The World before I turned my attention back here.**


	12. Chapter 12

As soon as Cora's heartless minions pushed Emma back through the door to their cell, her eyes landed on Hook, and the bloody mess that was his face.

"Hook?" she called out, rushing to his side to get a better look at him.

He was still breathing, which was one thing, but he was out cold, and bleeding all over the floor.

"Shit," she cursed, her hands flying over his face, looking for each individual wound. The one above his right eye seemed to be the worst, but at least the bleeding had slowed. "Killian?" she tried gently, shaking on his shoulder. "Killian, can you hear me?"

Hook remained unusually still and silent.

Emma pushed aside the heavy leather coat he always wore, and began to work on pulling up his vest and shirt, to check his torso. She'd seen him take at least one kick to the stomach, and the last thing she needed was for her only ally to die from internal bleeding.

As soon as she had his shirt out of his leather pants, and hiked up under his arms, Emma started feeling gently for anything that might have been unnatural. There were no severe lumps, or bruising, around his internal organs, and the rest of the bruises that were forming looked natural enough. But, with them stuck in some godforsaken fairytale land, without access to modern medicine, she really had no way of telling just how bad it was.

Emma cast her eyes around the dark room, searching for something to clean the blood off Hook's face with, and sighed when she came up empty. She'd drunk all of the water left for them, earlier that day, which was what had led to their predicament to begin with.

Hook had opted for his never-ending flask instead, screwing his face up in disgust when she'd offered him a sip of water.

His flask - which was full of strong alcohol.

And never ran dry.

As soon as she'd made the connection, Emma's hands started riffling through the pockets of his jacket, searching for the flask he was never without. There were plenty of golden coins in them, along with notebooks, charcoal, and other assorted jewels. There were even objects Emma couldn't identify, tucked inside plush velvet bags.

She finally found the flask tucked into the pocket closest to his heart, which she probably shouldn't have been surprised by.

Emma's next problem was finding something to soak in the rum. She still had the scarf he'd used on her hand, all those hours ago, on top of that beanstalk. But it was already soaked through with dried blood, and had gone slightly crusty in their dark and damp quarters.

So, she tucked it back inside her pocket, securely.

Both of their jackets were made from leather, which wouldn't do anything to absorb the liquid, and Emma stayed clear of thoughts of removing either of their pants. Hook's vest seemed to be an ornate combination of leather and silk, and Emma couldn't bring herself to damage it. So, with a small sigh, she reached down to tear off a section from the bottom of her own shirt, before soaking it in the liquid.

When she finally had her cloth ready for use, Emma sat it down on her knee, before gently pulling Hook's head into her lap, to help her get a better look at what she was doing.

As she wiped away each of the marks on his skin, the full extent of his injuries became clearer. The gash above his eye was still seeping a little, and Emma hoped that with some firm pressure, she'd be able to stop that. It looked like it could do with a few stitches, but that was never gonna happen, given their current situation. There was also a smaller cut along Hook's left cheek, that was hidden by the dark bruise blooming over his skin, and his top lip was split and bloody.

Cora's heartless minions had managed to inflict as much damage as possible, without mortally wounding him.

"I'm so sorry," Emma whispered into the silence of the cave. Apologizing to Hook was far easier when he wasn't awake, and throwing some kind of innuendo back at her. "I'm sorry they did this to you. And…" she took a moment to allow her head to drop back against the stone wall, before she finished her thought. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you sooner."

Hook had more than proven his loyalty to them, since she'd left him on top of that beanstalk. And all he'd gotten in return was a bloody beating, and possible death-sentence.

Emma still couldn't explain to herself why she'd left him there. He'd been right. She couldn't detect a lie in _anything_ he'd said to her, since the moment his true identity had been revealed. She'd actually detected more truth in the pirate's words, than she had in any of her other travelling companions.

And yet, she'd chosen to leave him behind, instead of them.

Emma had certainly learned her lesson, on this occasion.

"I won't leave you behind again."

The promise was whispered into the room, but carried no less weight than it would have done, had she screamed it at the top of her lungs. Hook might not have been awake to hear it, but Emma would keep her promise, no matter what happened to the two of them.

The exhaustion of the whole experience seemed to finally be catching up to Emma.

Ever since she'd broken the curse, it had been one thing after another. She'd barely had any time to rest, let alone process it all. So, when the bleeding on Hook's forehead had finally stopped, she tossed aside the soiled rag, and allowed her eyes to slowly slide closed.

Emma wasn't even aware of the fact that her hand had found its way back to Hook's head, and was gently running through his hair, pushing it back, and off his forehead.

With her eyes closed, and consciousness slowly leaving her, she was even less aware of the warm white light, spilling from her fingertips. It made its way slowly through Hook's body, healing every internal injury he'd sustained; easing each of his bruises, until they faded back to smooth, tanned skin; and knitting the cuts back together, until there wasn't a sign of the beating he'd taken, only hours before.

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	13. Chapter 13

When Hook finally woke, he was surrounded by a warmth he hadn't felt for years.

He turned his head slowly, to find it resting against one of Emma Swan's thighs, as she slept soundly above him. His first instinct wasn't to move, and instead, soak up that bone-deep heat, she seemed to be filling him with, for as long as he possibly could. But Hook knew that he was probably a dead-weight against her leg, and the last thing he wanted to do was cause her any kind of pain.

So, he gently pushed himself up into a sitting position, before he stopped dead.

The memories of the beating he'd taken the day before, (or possibly the day before that? Swan was right, keeping track of time inside their windowless cave was impossible), flashed inside of his mind. He'd felt the bruises forming, and the cuts as they'd opened his skin. But when he pulled his shirt up, to look down at his stomach, there wasn't a mark to be seen.

Even the scars he'd carried with him for centuries, were gone.

"Swan," he called out. "Wake up, Love."

"Huh? What is it?" she asked, startling awake immediately.

"Something's wrong," Hook explained softly, turning to face her.

It took Emma a long moment to clear the sleep-haze from her mind enough to work out what he was talking about. "Your cuts and bruises," she gasped, reaching out to brush the hair off his forehead. Just to double check what she was seeing. "What happened?"

"No idea," he replied honestly. "I remember taking the beating, but nothing after that. Are you okay? What did she do to you?" he demanded, as the memories of Emma being dragged from the room assaulted his mind.

"I'm fine," she hurried to assure him, sensing his rising tension. "She um… she actually let me use a bathroom. If you can call a bucket in a tiny room a bathroom. When I came back you were a mess. And out cold."

Hook still had his shirt hiked up a little, showing off his toned stomach, and Emma swallowed hard as her eyes landed back on it. "This… This was various shades of black and purple before," she whispered, brushing the backs of her fingers gently over the skin.

His entire body jumped at the contact, and Emma pulled her hand back quickly, as if it had been burned.

"I think _you_ happened, Love," he muttered, feeling the warmth rush through him once more, where her fingers had trailed.

"What?" she chuckled, a little awkwardly. "What do you mean _I_ happened?"

Hook raised a brow in her direction, but Emma simply returned his stare with a hard one of her own.

"Swan," he sighed, already sensing that he was starting a difficult conversation. "I think _you_ did this. I think _you_ heeled me."

"Don't be ridiculous," she scoffed. " _How_ would I do that? Do I look like a fucking hospital to you?"

"No," he conceded gently, "But I believe that you have magic. After all, you _are_ a child created from true love. And they say that true love is the most powerful form of magic."

"Then ask my parents if they're magical," she shot back at him, her tone rising with her ire. "The only true love I have is for my son. And, I don't know if you've noticed, but I gave up the chance to see him again in favour of saving your sorry ass."

Emma regretted the words as soon as they had left her mouth. She hadn't wanted to hurt Hook. She'd just wanted him to drop the damned subject.

"I don't have magic," she tried again, softening her tone in apology.

"Then how do you explain what happened at Lake Nostos?" he asked.

"I don't know. Some kind of fluke? Don't you think I'd know if I had magic?" Emma gave him her best withering stare, but Hook didn't flinch under it, unlike so many others had before him.

"You grew up in a land without magic, Swan. It's perfectly logical to assume that now you're in one that's full of magic, your own is beginning to leak through. You prevented Cora from taking your heart. I saw it with my own eyes. _Nothing_ short of magic could have done that, Love."

Emma's entire body was screaming at her to get away from the conversation they were having. As she couldn't escape Hook's presence, or his intense stare, in the cell they were trapped in, she settled for pacing the length of the floor, in an attempt to tame her restless energy.

She had barely even had the time to process the dragons; and the curses; and the real fairytale characters she lived with, that just so happened to be her parents; and the hat-portals; and the wraiths; and that goddamned attraction she felt to Captain freakin' Hook, yet.

And now he wanted her to contemplate the idea that she had been born with a kind of magic of her own.

"Look, don't you think if I had magic, I'd have used it to get us out of here long ago?" she demanded, whirling around to face him.

"Not if you don't know how to use it," he countered evenly. Hook took a careful step forward, attempting to look as calm and comforting, as a man with a hook for a hand, possibly could. "Swan, I know this isn't easy for you to believe. Trust me. I get that. But what other possible explanation is there?"

"Cora!" she exclaimed. "Maybe it was Cora? We _know_ she has magic."

Hook was already shaking his head in disagreement before Emma had finished speaking. "Why would she have me beaten, just to heel me while we slept?"

"To mess with us? To turn us against each other? She's evil. Does she need a reason?"

"She might be evil, Lass, but she's also clever and cunning. This is not something Cora would do. If she wanted to turn you against me, all she'd need to do is trick us into a situation where it looked like I'd switched allegiances once more."

Hook could see the internal conflict behind Emma's eyes. She didn't want to believe herself capable of magic, for whatever reason. And yet, she also knew that there was no other logical explanation for his miraculous recovery.

Taking a huge gamble, he crossed the small distance between them, and reached for one of her hands.

"Having magic isn't a bad thing, Emma. Just because you've seen the worst of it, doesn't mean that's _all_ it has to offer. In the brief amount of time you've been exposed to it, you've seen the evil that magic can do. But, for every dark magic user, there's someone else with _light_ magic. The kind of magic I saw radiating out of you, when Cora tried to take your heart. It's not something to be scared or ashamed of. It's something beautiful, Love."

Emma used her free hand to tease along the curve of his hook, absentmindedly. It wasn't lost on him that she was probably thinking of all the ways in which dark magic had hurt him too.

"True love is the most powerful magic of all, Emma. It's only natural to assume that a child born from it, will be full of all the goodness that comes from such a union."

Emma's eyes flickered briefly, and Hook could see the hope building there, before she shut it down once more. "What good is light magic if I don't know how to use it?" she asked instead.

"You can learn, Emma. I'm not an expert in the area but we know that at least your survival instincts seem to trigger it. Maybe we can figure it out between the two of us? It's not like we have anything better to do."

She closed her eyes on a sigh, and Hook knew it was her way of dealing with the internal battle, waging within her. When she finally opened them once more, the resolution behind them told him that she'd made her decision.

"Okay. I'm not saying I fully believe this," she cautioned, "but it's not like we're full of ideas right now. So, I guess shutting the theory down completely would be a stupid thing to do."

Hook's smile pulled at the corners of his lips. Getting her to even consider the possibility that she had magic was the hardest part. Trying to work out how to trigger it would be easier, when Emma could accept that the magic was already a part of her.

"How do you suggest we do this?" she asked.

"I'm no expert, Love," he replied sadly. For all of the magic wielders that Hook had encountered in his long life, _none_ had ever used light magic. "Let's start with something simple, hey? What were you thinking of last night, before you fell asleep."

Hook saw the exact moment that Emma's walls started to rise once more. He could sense it in the way that the sparkle in her eyes dimmed, and how she tried twisting out of both his grip, and his line of sight.

But Hook was nothing if not tenacious.

"I'm not gonna judge you, Swan. Anything you say now will be kept between the two of us. I simply believe that, maybe knowing your inner thoughts, during the time immediately before you fell asleep, may give us some insight into _how_ to access that magic."

"I don't remember," she deflected.

"You're lying," he countered. Hook didn't need some internal lie-detector, (which, now that he thought about it, was probably a product of the magic she was born with), to tell him that.

"I was thinking about Henry," she shot back at him.

"Lie," he countered once more.

"Excuse me?" she snapped. "I just told you, I was thinking about my son. What are you, some kind of mind-reader now?"

"Lie," he pushed.

"Jesus Christ, will you just drop it?" she demanded, her hands waving with her frustration. "It doesn't even matter, because I don't have magic. I have no idea why I'm even bothering to entertain this ridiculous notion of yours."

"Lie," he threw back at her again.

Emma's fury was burning inside of her, and that feeling from Lake Nostos was building again. That swirling anger that seemed to curl around her, like a protective blanket.

Hook was a beat slow on the uptake, as he realized that it was Emma's magic, trying to protect her both physically, and emotionally.

 _Her magic was tied to her emotions._

"Why do you have to be so infuriating?" she demanded, completely unaware of his revelation. "You're the most infuriating man I've ever met in my life. God, I could just slap you at times."

"Lie," he pressed, hoping to pull that magic from her, even if she ended up hating him for the way he'd gone about it.

At least it would get her home, to her lad.

Emma whirled on him that time, finally getting up in his face, as she clenched her fists by her side. "Fine," she spat at him. "Fine. You want the fucking truth? The last thing I remember thinking, before I fell asleep last night, was that I didn't want you to get hurt, because of me. I just wanted to take away all of your pain."

The word 'lie' died on his tongue, as her revelation hung between them in the dead-silence of the room.

Instead, he caught her arm with his hook, to tug her even closer, as his lips dropped down to cover hers.

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	14. Chapter 14

Emma froze, for the briefest of moments, under the gentle pressure of Hook's lips against her own, before her instincts reared to life, and she pushed gently on his chest, before taking a step back.

Her head was screaming that this was neither the time, nor the place, for such actions, but every other part of her wanted it.

 _She wanted him._

In the short time she had known him, Hook had more than proved his loyalty to her. She had no doubts that no matter what happened with Cora, he would stand by her side and fight with her, until the bitter end.

Which was more than Emma could say for anyone else in her life.

"We can't do this," she told him, hating each word as it fell from her tongue.

"We've got nothing else to do," he teased, cocking a brow in her direction.

"I need to focus on getting out of here, and getting back to my son," she reasoned. "I don't have time for… _this._ And I certainly don't want it."

Hook wasn't sure what possessed him to do it, but the moment the words left her mouth, he knew exactly what they were. He took a confident step forward, and fixed his most seductive smirk onto his face, as he whispered, "Lie," into the small space between them.

For the longest second, he was sure Swan was going to slap him.

Or yell at him.

Or both.

So, when she reached up to yank his head back down to hers, it was Hook's turn to freeze under the much-more-demanding pressure of her lips, against his. It didn't take long for his own reflexes to kick in, and Emma groaned into his mouth as he returned her kiss with the same force she'd put into it.

When his brain finally caught up, it urged him to slow things down. Hook was completely aware that Emma could stop this _thing_ between them at any moment. He wanted to savour their time together, in case it was their last. So, he gently slowed their kiss, making sure that each brush of his lips, and flick of his tongue, was soft and sensual, rather than hurried and clumsy.

There would be time for desperate passion when they were finally free, and as far away from Cora as they could possibly get.

He used his hooked arm to wrap around her waist, careful to keep the sharp point away from her delicate skin, as he pulled her closer to him. Close enough to feel every one of her curves pressed against his tightly wound body.

She was deceptively well toned, for a woman.

Hook hadn't met many in his life, that had done much in the form of hard-work. He couldn't remember ever encountering a female during his time as a slave, aboard his father's old ship. When Liam had finally bought their freedom, Hook had put too much of his focus into training with the navy, to spend any quality time around members of the opposite sex. And when his brother had finally decided it was time for Killian to lose his innocence, it had been with a whore, who specialized in spending most of her time on her back.

Milah had been the most hard-working of the women Hook had encountered intimately, in his past. But even then, she'd preferred to admire the views, and enjoy her freedom, rather than spend her days working the ship, like the rest of his crew. She'd argued it was her right, after spending much of her adult life taking care of her family, when her husband became the town coward.

And all Hook had wanted was to give his love her every heart's desire.

But Emma Swan had seen more than her fair share of hard labour, and Hook could tell.

He could feel it in the way her biceps flexed, as her hands blazed a trail through his hair, and down over his back. He could feel it in the tightness of her grip, when she clutched at him, pulling him infinitely closer to her. He could feel it in the ridges and dips he could make out, through the soft flimsy fabric of the shirt she wore, as his hand just skimmed over her tummy, making her squirm that little bit closer to him. And he could feel it in her thighs, when he reached down to hitch her left leg up, and over his hip, bringing them together more intimately.

"God, I want you," he mumbled, as he trailed his kisses away from her lips, and up behind her ear, as Emma sucked in a harsh breath. "I've never wanted anyone the way I want you, Swan."

"We shouldn't," she protested weakly. But the way her hands slipped under his coat, to run up, over the back of his vest, and pull the heavy leather down, off his shoulders, said that she wasn't going to stop him. Yet. "We should… _oh, God_ … we should be working on a way out of here."

"We have been," Hook reassured her, as he teased his fingers over the seam of her strange trousers, pushing just hard enough for Emma to grind down against him, in her desperation for more. "If there was a way out, we'd have found it by now."

Emma pulled away from him with a start, and Hook froze, as her proverbial bucket of iced water washed over him.

"We _have_ to find a way out of here," she asserted, those walls of her slamming back up, in an instant.

Hook took a step forward, invading her personal space once more, as he brought his hand up to cup her cheek. "We will, Swan. We'll get out of here, and get you back to your son, as soon as we can. You have my word."

She nodded her head sadly, still not quite believing that they would achieve their end goal, but grateful for his unwavering belief in her. Hook dropped his forehead down to rest against hers, before offering Emma a small, tender kiss. He took it as a sign that things between the two of them had changed, when she didn't push him away, but instead returned it, with gentle presses of her own lips.

"Why don't you get some rest, Swan?" he offered, as his thumb stroked gently over her cheek. Being that close to her, he could see the dark circles that appeared to be deepening by the minute, under her eyes.

Emma looked like she was about to argue with him, but in that moment, she felt a bone-deep exhaustion settling into her veins. She'd barely had a moment of peace since the curse had broken, and suddenly, a sleeping curse of her own sounded heavenly.

She didn't protest as Hook paused to snag his jacket from the floor, before leading her over to their favourite spot against the wall. He settled himself down quickly, with his back pressed to the cold stone, and his legs stretched out in front of him, as he tugged on Emma's hand, to encourage her to drop down beside him.

When she looked a little worried about how to position herself, Hook made the decision for her, pulling Emma into his side, to curl into his chest. His free hand made quick work of draping his coat over her slouched form, to offer what little comfort he could to her.

"Get some rest, Swan," he reiterated, as he pressed a sweet kiss into her hair.

Emma hummed her own agreement, as she wrapped her arm around his waist, and snuggled in tighter to the warmth he was offering. Hook allowed his own eyes to drift shut, as he tilted his head up, and away from her enticing scent.

Just being able to hold her, as she slept, was far more than he'd _ever_ dreamed she'd allow him to do.

The cave fell silent almost instantly, as their breathing calmed. Hook was certain that Emma had already fallen asleep, in his arms, until she whispered, "Killian? What's that?"

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	15. Chapter 15

**I'm so sorry this one took so long. You can blame my stupid husband and his meddling ways for making me second guess it.**

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Hook turned his head slowly, his own lethargy from the day setting in, as he followed Swan's eyes to see what had caught her attention. When his own gaze settled on the small object she was looking at, he did a double-take.

"No," he gasped, shifting her gently out of his embrace. "It can't be."

"What is it?" Emma asked. Her tone was tinged with equal parts curiosity and worry.

Hook stretched forward to snag the thin leather string from the ground, and pulled it back up, to dangle the object in front of their eyes.

"Is that…"

"… the bean," he finished for her.

"Where did it come from?" Emma reached out to run a gentle finger over the small seed, before Hook let it drop into the palm of her hand. It was yet another sign of his absolute trust in her.

"I took it. A pirate always keeps a souvenir of his conquests, Love." He shrugged the comment off as no big deal, but Emma could see the slight tinge of embarrassment that colored the tips of his ears.

"It didn't look like this before."

"That's because it was dead before," Hook mumbled, as he turned the bean over in her hand. The soft iridescent glow it was giving off seemed so much brighter in the darkness of their prison. "The waters of Lake Nostos must have touched it."

"You mean… it's alive? It'll work?" she asked, already sitting up a little straighter, as she closed her fist around it. Hook could see the hope shining behind her eyes with each word she spoke.

"It should do, yes," he replied cautiously.

"Then why don't you sound happy about this? We have a way _home_ , Killian."

The use of his given name for the second time that day wasn't lost on Hook, and he smiled sadly as he realized it might just be the last time he'd hear it from her beautiful lips.

"Cora will know," he whispered. "The moment we use that bean to open a portal, she'll know. She'll be here before we can jump. There's no way we'd be able to fight her off in here. We're both weaponless, and stuck in a small, enclosed space."

"That doesn't matter," Emma dismissed. "We can deal with her back in Storybrooke."

"Are you sure about that?" Hook asked softly. "Think about it, Emma. _Really_ think about it. I know how desperate you are to get back to Henry. And trust me when I say, being the one to suggest this is killing me. But, how safe would your lad _really_ be, with not only the Dark One and the Evil Queen in town, but Cora too? She has ties to both of them. And we know how desperate she is to win her daughter's trust back. You and I both know the fastest way for her to do that."

Emma had been shaking her head in protest, as soft tears fell from her eyes, while Hook spoke. But the moment he mentioned Regina, she knew he was right. She knew exactly what he was suggesting. Cora wanted Regina's trust, for whatever reason, and she'd use Henry to get it. After seeing the devastation the witch had caused to the remaining survivors in the realm, Emma knew Cora would stop at nothing to get her heart's desire in Storybrooke.

Even if it meant hurting Henry.

"How am I supposed to just sit here, with a way home, and not use it?" she sobbed.

Hook reached out to dry her tears for her. "I know this must be hard for you, Swan. But the best thing we can do for Henry right now is find a way _out_ of here, and then use that bean to get back home to him. Cora shouldn't follow us back, no matter what it takes."

"It could take us _months_ to get out of here. We might _never_ get out."

Hook pulled her into his chest, as the tears fell harder and faster. "Then I'll make you a promise now, Love. I assume she's feeding us three meals a day. Twenty-one meals means a week has passed. Give it _one week._ If we aren't out of here by then, you can use that bean and go straight back to your lad."

"And Cora?" she mumbled into his chest.

"I'll do my best to keep her here."

Emma pulled back to search Hook's eyes, and she didn't like what she saw there. "No," she protested. "When we use this bean, we use it _together._ We either both go, or neither of us do. I didn't sacrifice myself to save you last time, just to leave you behind to die a few weeks later."

"If it means keeping that witch away from your son, Swan, it's a sacrifice I'd gladly make," Hook reassured her. He reached up to brush the hair away from her face, where it had stuck to the damp trails left behind from her tears.

"It's a sacrifice I won't ask you to make," she stated firmly. "If Cora's following us back to Storybrooke, I _need_ you there, Killian. I need you by my side, to help keep my son safe."

Hook contemplated her words for the longest of moments. He wanted to give her his assurance that he would return with her, no matter what happened. But, deep down, he knew it was a promise he couldn't make. If it came down to a choice between him jumping into a portal, or him stalling Cora long enough to make sure she couldn't, he knew which option he'd take.

He didn't want to have to lie to Swan, though so, instead, he offered her a small smile, and a deflection. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that, shall we?"

Emma looked like she could see straight through his words, but she didn't push the subject. Instead, she took a deep and cleansing breath in, squared her shoulders, and fixed her mask firmly in place as she asked, "Okay. So… how do we get out of this hell hole?"

Hook wiggled his brows at her playfully before offering one single word.

"Magic."

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 **Special thanks go to the ladies over at the Captain Swan Supernatural Summer who helped reassure me that my husband is an idiot.**


	16. Chapter 16

"See? This isn't working," Emma exploded, as she whirled on Hook. "I told you it wasn't me who healed you."

"You're just getting frustrated, Swan," he explained patiently. "I'd imagine the kind of work that goes into magically healing someone is vastly different to the kind that it would take to magically transport my flask across the room."

They had waited until their next meal had been delivered to them, and then cleared away, before Hook had convinced Emma to try and find the magic that was within her. He'd suggested using it to move his flask, which he'd sat on the floor about a foot away from them. He wasn't exactly sure how much time had passed since that moment, but he knew it was in the region of hours, and not minutes.

The flask hadn't even wobbled in that time.

"I think we just need to accept that maybe I don't have magic, and instead, we should try looking for a different way out of here," she sighed, flopping back down to the floor. Trying to use magic she wasn't certain she possessed was exhausting work.

"We'll work on a plan B," Hook assured her, as he dropped down elegantly beside her. "But this is our best plan, Swan. Don't give up hope. We just need to try and work out what it is that triggered it the first time."

"Somehow, I'm not sure my desire to heal you, or keep you safe, is gonna move that flask. Or get us out of here," she quipped.

A thoughtful look crossed Hook's face for a moment, before he stood up to shrug off his heavy leather coat. "Maybe you're right? Maybe we need to try a different approach?"

"One that involves stripping?" she asked, as she cocked a brow up at him. Hook simply wiggled his own playfully at her.

"If that's what it takes. But, I was thinking more along the lines of this." She watched as he gently pushed up his right shirt sleeve, until his forearm was completely bared.

His movements were so quick that she barely had time to comprehend what he was doing. One minute she was staring at the smooth hairless skin he'd revealed, and the next, she was watching the trail of blood flow down it, following the sharp metal of his hook.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked, as she pushed herself to her feet. Emma tugged his arm closer to her, to assess the damage he'd done to himself.

"Motivating you."

"By committing suicide?" she snapped.

"It's a flesh wound, Swan. Trust me, I've had worse." He waved his hook in her face as a brutal reminder of just how much worse it had been, before he added, "But you know what to do if it bothers you that much."

Emma could feel the blood that was starting to pool in the palm of the hand she was using to cradle Hook's arm. He might have written the self-inflicted injury off as just a flesh wound, but she could tell it was much deeper than that.

"What if you're wrong, and I can't do this?" she worried, turning scared eyes up to meet his. "What if you bleed out in the night because you took a chance, and were wrong? How am I supposed to live with that?"

Hook reached out carefully with his metal appendage, and gently brushed the hair back and away from her face. Emma was the only woman who had ever gotten that close to his hook, while he'd been wearing it. Most of the women he'd picked up since the incident insisted on him removing it, before they'd let him touch them. Truthfully, there hadn't been as many as he allowed most of his crew to believe. Captain Hook had found out quite quickly that if he paid a whore enough, she'd say anything he asked her to.

But Emma Swan was completely different.

She'd been shocked by the addition to his body, when he'd first made his reveal. Most people were. But since then, she hadn't shown any contempt for it. She didn't flinch, when he used it to touch her. And she didn't avoid mentioning it in conversation either.

Hook hadn't realized until that moment just how reassuring it was to know that someone out there could look down at his namesake, and not think of him as broken. The hook had become a part of him, over the past two centuries. But he knew that for all of his swagger and bravado about it, he was still a broken man underneath.

The fact that someone as beautiful and compassionate as Emma Swan could look at him, and see him as whole, filled him with hope for the first time in his very long life.

"Swan," he whispered softly. "I know it was you who healed me." When Emma opened her mouth to protest once more, he rushed to add, "I know it was you because the scars I've carried on my body, since I was but a lad, have all gone. Your magic did that. Your inherent _goodness_ did that. Not Cora. _You_."

Emma screwed her eyes shut, and tried her hardest to recapture those feelings from the night before. That strong desire she'd had to _protect… save… help_. She willed them to the forefront of her mind, before she tried to push them out, through the hand she still had wrapped around his arm.

But she could feel absolutely no change within herself.

"It's not working," she huffed out, as she pried her eyes open. Hook was beaming down at her, and in that moment, his happiness only seemed to fuel her ire. "What are you smiling about?" she snapped. "We have literally nothing to be happy about right now."

Hook ran the curved edge of his namesake over Emma's chin, before sliding it along her jaw, to tease at her hair. "Look down," he whispered.

"I swear, this is _not_ the time for a penis joke right now, Hook," she warned darkly.

He snorted out a laugh, but his smile only seemed to grow.

When Emma finally pulled her eyes away from it, they fell easily to the limb still in her grasp, and the smooth skin of his forearm.

"What the hell?" she mumbled, as she brought her other hand up to run gentle fingertips over the path his hook had taken mere minutes before.

"You did it, Swan. _You did it_."

Emma couldn't seem to pull her eyes away from the smooth flesh beneath her fingertips.

"It was beautiful," Hook added. "Your magic is beautiful, Emma. Just like you are."

She finally lifted her eyes at his impassioned declaration, but she couldn't seem to find the words inside of her to reply to him.

Instead, Emma leaned in, and softly pressed her lips to his.

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	17. Chapter 17

Hook didn't hesitate to wind his arms around Emma, and pull her in tight, as the light brush of her lips turned into more demanding nips of her teeth, and insistent drags of her tongue. He allowed himself to drown in her, taking the time to map out the curves of her body, and memorize the scent of her skin, as Emma pressed him back into the wall of the cave.

It was only when her hand dropped down, to cover the growing bulge in his leather trousers, that his senses finally kicked in. He wrenched his mouth away from hers, as his hook came down to pull her hand away from him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking up into his eyes. He could already see the walls rising behind her own, at her perceived rejection.

"It's not that I don't want to continue this," he assured her, holding her eyes so she could see the truth in his words. "I do. Believe me, I do. But… you deserve better than this, Swan. You deserve more than a damp, dark cave, and a quick fuck inside of it."

"It doesn't have to be quick," she quipped, but Hook could tell that his rejection still stung.

"No, it doesn't," he agreed. "And it shouldn't be. _When_ we do this, it's going to be in a bed, where you're comfortable, so I can take my time with you. A place that's light and airy, so I can _see_ every inch of you bared for me, and cover you in kisses. A place where I can worship you, like the princess you are."

Emma stepped back into his space, and brought her hand up to play with the small hairs at the nape of his neck. "Do you really think that speech is helping this situation?" she asked.

"Probably not," he chuckled. "But I'm trying to be a gentleman here, so… work with me, will you?"

She giggled as she stepped into his embrace, dropping her head down to rest on his chest. "You're awfully sure of yourself, Captain."

"Please, Love. You've been throwing yourself at me since we met. Of course I'm sure of myself." He wiggled his brows playfully at her, and Emma couldn't even find it in herself to care that she was probably feeding his ego, with the way she was playing with the buttons on his shirt. Hook sobered a little as he dropped a kiss to her head, and asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," she assured him. "I just… can we sit for a moment, before we try again?"

"Of course." He waited until she'd settled herself comfortably on the floor, before he opened his arms for her once more. "Take as much time as you need, Love. I'm sure it'll get easier with practice, but don't push yourself too hard, too fast. You're already doing amazingly well."

"Doesn't feel that way," she mumbled.

Hook slipped his fingers under her chin, to tilt her head up, so her eyes would meet his. "You are," he stated confidently. "You're learning to use a magic that, until a few days ago, you didn't even know you possessed. You're going to get us out of here, Swan, and back to your lad. I know you will."

Emma pressed her lips to Hook's jaw, before she settled herself back into his arms comfortably. For the first time in her entire life, she was actually starting to believe in herself. Hook was so sure that she could not only learn how to use her magic, but how to control it enough to get them out of their prison. He was, quite literally, trusting her with his life.

Nobody had _ever_ believed in Emma Swan the way he did.

His absolute confidence in her was both terrifying and exhilarating. The way he looked at her often left Emma feeling like she could fly, if she put her mind to it. His belief in her was intoxicating. But it also left Emma petrified, because the last thing she wanted to do was let him down. She might not have known everything about Hook's past, but she knew enough to know that he'd already been disappointed one too many times by those around him.

She didn't want to be another person in his long life who had failed him.

"Stop thinking so hard," he mumbled from above her, brushing another kiss to the top of her head.

Emma had never been with a man before who had felt so confident in showing his affection for her. She found that she actually liked it, more than she thought she would. Hook had never been shy about showing his attraction towards her, but most men weren't. Yet, when they got what they wanted, they were often all too happy to never see her again. The way Hook held her, running his hand softly over her arms, as he brushed feather-light kisses to her head, told her that maybe, just maybe, this one wouldn't abandon her, like everyone else had before.

"I can still hear you thinking," he warned.

Emma chuckled as she buried herself into his embrace a little tighter. The comfort and warmth he was offering her was addictive. "You know, Henry's gonna love meeting you, when we get back to Storybrooke," she told him.

"Yeah?" he asked cautiously. Hook knew that Henry had only just gotten his mother back, before she had been taken from him once again. He couldn't imagine the young lad being happy that there was someone else in Emma's life, vying for her attention and affection.

"Oh, yeah," she chuckled. "The real Captain Hook in Storybrooke? He's gonna have so many questions for you."

"Well, I will be happy to answer them all," he assured her. Hook wanted Henry to like him as much as Emma was suggesting he would. The young lad was an important part of his Swan's life. Which made him an important part of Hook's life, too.

"He'll probably wanna show you all the movies," she added, absentmindedly.

"Movies? What's movies?"

Emma pulled out of his embrace to twist around and face the pirate sat with her. She often forgot that Hook was not only from a different realm, but also from a different era to her own. In some ways they were so similar, and in others, so very different.

"They're um… they're like moving pictures. It's like watching someone else's life, but on a screen. Movies are scripted, though. So, I guess it's kinda like watching a play, but without being in a theatre?"

Hook frowned down at her, as he tried to imagine what she was explaining to him, but he was struggling to make the connections. Her world was so different to his.

"Oh, I know," Emma exclaimed suddenly. "Have you ever seen someone with magic use a mirror to display something, like… if they're spying on someone?"

"Aye," he replied cautiously. In Hook's experience, that kind of magic was never the good kind.

"It's a little like that," she continued. "But, no magic. Instead, it's all technology and electricity."

"Technology and electricity?"

"Shit," Emma sighed, scrubbing a hand over her eyes. "I'm doing an awful job of explaining this to you."

Hook moved to pull her hand away from her head, and lace their fingers together, between the two of them. "You're not, Swan. It's me who's the problem. All of this just sounds so strange to this old pirate. I'm sure once we're back in your land, it will make more sense."

"It will," she assured him. "I promise that when we get back, I'll show you all the luxuries that a land without magic has to offer. Starting with showers."

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	18. Chapter 18

"Finally," Emma cheered, startling Hook awake, as she turned to face him with his flask in her right hand.

He flicked his glance down to the pocket he knew it had been in, until he'd lost his battle with exhaustion, before a smirk began tugging at the corner of his lips. "Well done, Swan. And we didn't need to spill anymore blood to make it happen."

After Emma had given up trying to explain the modern miracle of showers (and the electricity that powered them), to the two-hundred-year-old pirate, they'd tried to activate her magic once more. She hadn't managed to move his flask, but she had healed the four other self-inflicted cuts he'd made, on different parts of his body, before he'd started to feel light-headed.

"Yes, well… you were looking a little pale." She shrugged the comment off as no big deal, but Hook could see the concern behind her eyes that told him it was most certainly a big deal to her. "Besides, healing you isn't gonna get us out of here. So, when you fell asleep, I figured I'd better try and do something a little more productive."

"Can you do it again?" he asked. Hook told himself he was just trying to help encourage her skills, but selfishly, he enjoyed watching her magic at work. He'd only ever encountered dark magic users in his past, and the energy that swirled around the likes of Cora and the Crocodile was completely different to what he felt whenever Emma Swan used hers. Emma's magic made him feel like he was being blanketed in a warmth and security that Hook hadn't ever felt before. It was comforting and welcoming… and a tiny bit addictive, for a man who had rarely experienced any of those feelings before, in his incredibly long life.

"Um… I think so?" She looked a little uncertain, but strode a few feet away to sit the flask on the floor once more, before sliding back down the wall to sit next to Hook, as a look of determination washed over her face.

For the longest second, nothing happened.

Then, Emma's entire body seemed to relax, as that feeling of warmth began building in their prison, swirling through the air until it felt almost suffocating pleasant. When Hook looked down once more, his flask was resting comfortably in Emma's open palm.

"You are beyond amazing, Swan," he praised, taking it from her hand to examine the metal, almost as if to make sure it was actually his.

Emma blushed a little under his praise, as she sent a, "thanks," his way, before she allowed a comfortable silence to settle around them. She was trying her hardest to commit that _instinct_ to call on her magic to her mind, as Hook took a moment to simply appreciate the wonderful woman he was sat beside.

He'd never met anyone quite like her before, and he seriously doubted he'd ever get a second chance to meet another like Emma Swan.

"So, moving things seems like it could come in helpful, but… how are we gonna get out of here?" Emma asked, after a moment. The progress she was making with her own magic was helping fuel that hope Hook had filled her with. But so far, none of what she had achieved would result in them being far enough away from Cora to use the bean, that was currently tied around his wrist.

Hook dropped his head back to the stone wall behind him. He could only think of two ways to use Emma's magic to get them out, and both were incredibly risky for her to practice.

"Tell me," she begged, sensing his hesitation.

"The way I see it, we have two options," he sighed. "You either attempt to blast a hole through the wall, and we run like hell..."

"That doesn't sound like a good option," Emma interrupted. Hook cocked a brow in her direction that told her he agreed, before he offered up his second choice.

"Or, you need to attempt to transport yourself out of here."

" _Us_ ," she corrected. "I'd need to attempt to transport _us_ out of here."

He allowed his head to roll on his shoulders, bringing his eyes back to meet hers, as the sadness in his grew. "From what little I understand about magic, being able to transport one's self is incredibly difficult. Being able to transport _another_ is even harder."

"We go together or we don't go at all," she told him, her stance and her tone conveying that this was not an issue she would be swayed on. "I don't think blasting a hole through the wall is the way to do this. So… I guess I need to keep moving that flask until I'm confident enough to start trying to move the two of us."

Hook reached for her hand to give it a gentle squeeze. He appreciated that Emma was so determined to get the two of them free. But, he knew that his own chances of ever seeing daylight again were slim.

"Okay. Again." Emma squared her shoulders, but kept her grip on his hand, as she focused her attention on the flask he had dropped into his lap.

Hook was certain that he'd merely blinked and the bloody thing had suddenly appeared on the other side of their cave. "Am I going mad or did that really just happen?" he asked, as his eyes darted from the now-vacant spot on his legs, to the flask stood a few feet away, and back again.

"That just happened," Emma agreed. Her own voice was full of just as much disbelief as his had been. "I was hardly even trying." She tore her eyes away from his and moved them back to the flask, which vanished almost instantly. He could barely turn his head fast enough to see the flash of silver appear back in her hand once more.

"What the hell is happening?" Emma wondered.

"I have no idea, Love." Hook sat up a little straighter, pulling his hand from her grasp as he did. Swan's sudden grasp on her magic was creating an excitement inside of him that Hook hadn't expected to ever feel again, when he'd first woken up in their prison. "Can you put it back in my jacket?"

"Sure." Emma narrowed her eyes at the small object, and her frown deepened when it didn't immediately move. It took a few moments, but eventually her body relaxed once more, as the flask disappeared from the spot it had occupied in the palm of her hand, and Hook felt the additional weight of it suddenly materialize in his coat's pocket.

"Maybe putting it into something you can't exactly see is more difficult?" he suggested.

Emma tried focusing her attention on the object he was pulling out, and struggled to move it back across the room once more. When he realized what she was attempting to do, Hook allowed it to fall flat on his palm. But it still took her a few moments to make the move.

It was as he was staring down at his own hand, that a thought suddenly struck him.

Hook gently shifted the flask to lay on his legs, as he slipped his hand over her own, where it was resting against the stone floor. "Try it again, Love?" he encouraged.

Emma rolled her eyes a little, frustrated with herself for seemingly having lost the ability to move the object so easily, but did as he asked. The flask was already nestled in her palm before either of them could turn their heads down to look at it.

"I don't understand. What's changed?"

"I think I know," Hook mumbled, as he stared down at their joined hands in shock.

It took Emma a moment longer to follow his gaze down to see just what it was he wasn't saying.

But, before she could voice her own disbelief, the sound of the lock on their prison door being opened met both of their ears once more, and the pair jumped to their feet, ready to face whatever was coming for them.

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	19. Chapter 19

**For those of you who don't follow me on Tumblr, there is now a final countdown on this piece and we are five left from the end.**

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"Oh good, you're both awake," Cora declared, as she swept into the room, followed by at least a dozen of her heartless minions. "That will make this so much easier." She turned her head ever-so-slightly back to the men behind her, before she ordered them to, "Bind their wrists."

"What?" Emma panicked, as she threw a startled look over to Hook. "Why?"

"I told you not to get comfortable," the older woman explained, in an overly-sweet tone. "We're going on a little trip."

"Where?" Hook was the one making the demands this time, as he watched the minions advance on the two of them. The look he gave Emma clearly asked if he should fight them off, and he took her slight shrug to suggest that he should only fight hard enough to not arouse Cora's suspicions.

"That's none of your business, Pirate." The witch took a few steps closer to him, to reach out and grab his face. Hook allowed her the time to look it over, as his gut began churning with worry. He knew what she was seeing. Or, more accurately, what she wasn't seeing. He just hoped she'd write it off as a coincidence that his face hadn't been harmed during the attack.

She let go of him with a small shove, that had Hook taking a step back to keep himself on his feet. He did his best to keep his eyes away from Emma, so he wouldn't draw any unnecessary attention to her.

"Take his hook too," Cora commanded, as she swept back out of the cave.

"What was all that about?" Emma hissed, as she struggled against the ropes being wound around her wrists.

"Later," Hook whispered back. He wasn't exactly sure how much the heartless minions could comprehend. And the last thing he wanted to do was give Cora information through their eavesdropping.

When the minions had their hands bounds tightly, with enough slack from the ropes to act as a kind of leash, they were both tugged forcefully in the direction of the open door. Hook quickly realized he wasn't going to get much of a chance to talk with Emma in private anymore.

In a moment of clarity, he maneuvered the bean tied around his wrist as best he could, with only one hand, before tugging it off the leather string, and palming it. Before Emma could step through the doorway, he made a show of slowing things down, and slipped it into her jacket pocket, just as one of the minions landed a solid punch to the side of his face.

"Killian!" Emma cried out.

"I'm fine, Love," he assured her, before he spat the blood pooling in his mouth to the floor. "Don't worry about me."

Cora apparently trusted her minions to handle her dirty work, as she wasn't anywhere in sight. Emma and Killian were guided through a maze of caves, that finally gave way to the brightness of the daylight outside.

"I'm not sure a tan would go well with all of that…. Evil," Emma taunted, as she was finally pulled out, into the freshness of the forest surrounding them. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed clean air and sunlight, until it had been taken from her.

Cora was stood in a clearing directly in front of them, with her face tilted to the sky. "I can see why you like her, Captain," she remarked, keeping her eyes closed and her head tilted back, as if she didn't have a care in the world. "That sass she's using to cover her fear is an awful lot like the charm you like to use to cover yours."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hook dismissed easily. "I'm just naturally charming." Her threw a wink at Emma, and she had to work harder than she normally would to cover the snigger that wanted to leave her lips, as he added, "Just as you're naturally evil."

Cora finally opened her eyes to flick them over Hook's form, before she declared, "Try and keep up, now. We have an appointment to keep."

"Appointment?" Emma probed, as her feet stumbled a little with the rough tug a minion gave on her rope.

"Yes, Dear," Cora explained patiently, sounding oddly like one of Emma's former foster mothers. "You see, after you ruined my best chance of getting back to my daughter, I had to come up with another way of returning to your Land Without Magic."

"I thought all the magic beans were gone." Emma hoped that the more she pushed, the more Cora would reveal. If she and Hook had any chance of surviving this, they needed to get as much information as possible out of the woman who controlled their fate.

"Most are," she agreed.

Emma's heart sank at her use of the word 'most.' She shared a quick look with Hook, whose own gaze seemed to communicate the same thing as hers.

 _Cora had sourced another bean._

"And what makes you think whoever has one is just gonna give it to you?" Emma pressed. She knew the witch would likely take it by force. Even with limited experience in a fairytale land, Emma got the feeling that very few people knew and used magic.

"Because, Dear," Cora snapped, slightly fed up of the Swan girl and all of her annoying questions already. "We're going to make a little trade for it."

"Trade?" she scoffed. "What are you planning to trade for one of the _only_ magic beans in existence? I'm not sure if you've taken a good look around, but there aren't that many people here with their hearts intact. And there certainly isn't much of value left, thanks to your daughter's curse."

Cora stalked back to where Emma was being tugged along, her anger at the girl's infuriating questions clearly showing on her face, as she decided to invade Emma's personal space menacingly. "Luckily for me, there are just enough people here who have what I need," she snapped. "Unluckily for you, those people hold very specific grudges against your boyfriend. So… I'm gonna trade the useless pirate for a way back to your land. And if you don't keep your mouth shut for the rest of this journey, I'll throw you in as part of the deal too. I'm sure Blackbeard can find some use for such a pretty young girl."

Cora reached out to flick at Emma's hair, as Hook's stomach dropped.

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	20. Chapter 20

"What are we gonna do?" Emma hissed.

They had been walking for what seemed like hours, before the heartless minions had come to a small clearing, where they had decided to set up camp. While most of the area was deserted, the ogres were still an issue, and Cora didn't want to risk harming her precious cargo before making her trade. She'd cast some kind of protection spell over the area that reeked of dark magic, before conjuring up a cage around where her two prisoners had stood. Without saying a word, she had disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, leaving Emma and Hook caged, with their hands still bound.

"You need to go," Hook whispered back quietly. While Cora might not have been in the area, he wasn't naïve enough to believe she wouldn't be listening in, or watching them, in some way, at some time.

"What do you mean _I_ need to go?" Emma asked, her tone biting with her anger. "We agreed, we go together, or not at all."

"This is not a discussion, Swan," he snapped back. "I know Blackbeard. I know what he's capable of. And I will _not_ be the reason you suffer through that fate. When she comes to free us tomorrow, I'll distract her, and you throw that bean and run like hell. Do you understand me?"

"No," she declared, resolutely. "No, Killian. I'm not leaving you to that fate either."

"Blackbeard will kill me, Emma. What he does to you will be _worse_."

"Worse than death?" she scoffed. But the look in his eyes had her swallowing back the rest of her protests. For the first time since they had met, Hook looked genuinely scared about the possibility of what her future would hold. "Then we go together," she stated instead. "As soon as she releases us, we run. And we go together."

"We might not have time," Hook countered. "Swan, I need you to promise me that if you get the chance to go, you'll take it. _Please_?"

Emma cast a good look around the clearing they were in, watching as the minions seemed to sleep peacefully, while everything else remained still and silent. It was a complete contrast to the storm of emotions brewing inside of her. She didn't want to agree to any kind of plan that would leave Hook behind. Because Emma knew that meant a certain death sentence for him. And her heart constricted at the mere thought of this beautifully tortured man she'd come to know, dying because of her.

"Okay, we need to get out of here," she declared. "Now! We can't wait for her to show up and hope for the best."

"What are you thinking?"

Emma's eyes were still searching the clearing, making sure that they were definitely alone, before she attempted to do anything. Her magic was the biggest surprise they had, and she didn't want to out it just yet.

"Give me your hand," she stated, holding out her left, for him to take. She didn't want to think about what it was that existed between the two of them just yet. All she knew was that for some reason, when they touched, her magic flowed easily. And Emma knew she needed all the help she could get, if the two of them were gonna get away from Cora with their lives intact.

"You know, we should _probably_ talk about this," Hook mumbled, but he laced his fingers with hers all the same.

"Later."

She closed her eyes and allowed her body to relax. That warm and tingly feeling started taking over, flooding her veins almost instantly. Emma had never tried moving an object from an unknown location before, but with Hook by her side, she felt like almost anything was possible. "Did it work?" she asked, cracking one eye open to look down between the two of them. Sadly, all she saw was her hands gripping his one, and the brace where his hook used to rest.

"Did what work?"

Emma took a frustrated step back, but stopped suddenly when the heel of her boot hit something decidedly solid, that hadn't been in their cage the minute before.

Hook followed her eyes to the ground, and watched as Emma crouched down to pick up the familiar looking appendage that had been taken from him, inside of their cave. "You are incredible," he praised, as a beatific smile broke over his face.

While he'd gotten pretty good at hiding his true thoughts and emotions throughout the long years, he never really felt himself without the hook that had become his legacy. Without it, he was simply Killian Jones, the lost boy broken beyond repair. With it, he became Captain Hook, the most infamous pirate to ever set sail.

Until Emma Swan had barreled her way into his life, giving him the hope that both Captain Hook _and_ Killian Jones could be someone better than he believed them to be.

"Can you use it to cut us free?" she asked hopefully, pushing the hook back into place and giving it a small twist, until it locked in.

"Do you really have to ask?" Hook drawled, as he pulled gently on her hands to encourage her to sit, before he began using the appendage to cut through the braided twine that made up their bindings.

"Can't you go any faster?" Emma worried. She kept her eyes on their surroundings, searching for any signs that someone was watching them.

"Can you?" he challenged instead, keeping his focus on the task at hand. He knew once he had Emma's wrists free, she'd be able to make quick work of his own bindings. "Do you even have a plan to get us out of here?"

"I'm working on it," she snapped back, just as the rope gave way and her wrists fell blessedly apart. She took a moment to pull off the excess twine, and rub some feeling back into the spots that had been chafed by the way the ropes had rubbed. Emma turned her attention back to Hook, and the twine still wrapped around his wrists, as she asked, "If we get out of this cage, can we get out of this clearing?"

"I don't know, Love," he told her honestly. Having her so close to him once more was enticing. They'd been kept apart for most of their walk that day, being pulled along at different speeds by the minions that had been charged with their leashes. He'd forgotten just how tempting it was to be close to Emma Swan. It wasn't just her magic than enchanted him. It was everything about her. "Do you have a way out of this cage?" he asked, to distract himself from the urge that was building inside of him. It was demanding that he kiss her again, for what could be the last time.

"I'm not sure."

Hook could see the thoughts forming slowly in her mind, that she seemed unwilling to put a voice to. Emma had a plan. Possibly a few. But she wasn't certain any of them would end up working in their favor. And the more she used her magic, the more they risked exposure.

He saw the moment she had settled on one of them.

"Okay." Emma squared her shoulders and held out both of her hands for him to take. Once she had a firm grip on his hand and hook, she drew in a few deep breaths to help clear her mind, before closing her eyes. "If moving us is more difficult than moving objects… I'm gonna have to move this cage," she explained, tightening her hold on his hand to an almost painful level.

It would be the most difficult thing she'd used her magic for. But Hook had complete faith in her abilities. "I believe in you, Swan," he whispered softly, as he screwed his own eyes shut.

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	21. Chapter 21

Hook wasn't sure why, but the moment Emma's grip on his hand tightened, he screwed his own eyes shut. He hoped that his own belief in her was enough to help with the monumental task she was trying to achieve. Because, quite honestly, he was running out of ideas that would allow the two of them to both survive the following day.

It didn't take long for that familiar tingle of warmth to stir the air around him. Hook waited as it gathered in intensity, seeming to wrap itself around him as Emma practically vibrated with her efforts to move the cage that had been magically erected around the two of them. When that distinct feeling of warmth and comfort began to recede, he opened his eyes, to find that Emma's were still shut tight. He pulled back a little, to survey their surroundings, and almost tripped over his own feet at what he saw.

"Swan. Open your eyes," he commanded, his tone colored by his disbelief.

"Did it work?" she whispered back.

"Open your eyes and see for yourself," he encouraged gently. He pulled his hook free from her grasp, but kept her hand held tightly in his own, as he stepped aside, to allow Emma to see just what she had managed to achieve.

"Holy crap," she mumbled, as her eyes flew around the clearing, taking in the free space she and Hook were now stood in. The cage that had held them both only moments before, now contained Cora's heartless minions.

Emma hadn't just managed to move it. She'd used it to trap their captors.

"Holy crap," she chuckled again, still not quite believing what she was seeing. "I did that."

"Yes, you did," Hook agreed. His eyes shone with his pride for her. He longed to pull Emma into his arms, to celebrate her achievement properly. But he knew that now they were both free, they wouldn't have long until Cora realized what was going on.

Emma's eyes met his own, and her excitement died down a little as she understood everything that he wasn't saying.

Half the battle had been won.

The other half would be even more difficult to survive.

"Okay um… I guess the best way to test the spell is to try and get out of here?"

"No. Absolutely not," Hook disagreed. "We have no idea what kind of spell she cast over this clearing. For all we know, the second someone touches it, they'll transform into a tree."

"Cora doesn't strike me as the topiary type," Emma sighed. They both knew the more likely option was that the moment one of them touched the barrier, they would die. Or, if they were really unlucky, end up cursed. "What do we do? We can't just sit here and wait."

"No. You're right, we do need to test it," he mumbled, already busy looking around the clearing for something to do that with.

"How do you suggest we do that? March one of the minions over the line and see what happens?" Hook's eyes snapped up to meet Emma's and she groaned a little at the look he wore. "I wasn't being serious," she protested.

"But it's the best plan we have," he countered. "Even if we threw an inanimate object at it, we can't guarantee that the effect the spell has on a rock will be the same as that of a human."

"So… how do we guarantee the effect it has on a heartless minion will be the same as it would on us?"

Hook's excitement died at Emma's words. She had a good point. He'd been thinking about all the ways in which a rock and human were different, but he hadn't stopped to consider that Cora might have spelled the clearing against those with a working heart.

"We could use the bean now?" Emma suggested quietly. It wasn't an ideal location, but maybe they would be lucky enough to slip through the portal before Cora could get to them.

"No. She'll know." Hook was absolutely certain of that. Just as he was certain the moment the barrier spell was triggered, Cora would also know. The witch couldn't be far away, and they were rapidly running out of time to act. "The portal will be too wide for this clearing anyway," he mused. "I don't know how it will work inside the barrier spell she's cast. We can't risk wasting it without knowing what will happen when that line is crossed."

There was a moment of strained silence between the two of them, before Hook finally voiced the only option he could think of. "I need to go through it," he stated. It was the only way to make sure it would be safe for Emma to pass through. He was the only person who could do that. If it wasn't, once the spell was triggered, he knew Cora would make her appearance known. And he prayed that Emma would be able to take that chance and run.

"No," she protested, shaking her head forcefully. "No way. We've made it _this far_ , Killian. There's no way I'm losing you now."

"It's the only way to be sure."

Emma took a step closer to him, tugging on the hand she still had a grip on to encourage Hook to close the distance between the two of them. "I can't lose you now. Not when we're _this_ close."

Hook freed his hand from hers, to bring it up to stroke softly over the left side of her face. He could see the tears she was fighting so hard to stop from falling. And he knew that whatever happened, he definitely wasn't worthy of those.

"I told you that we made a hell of a team, Swan," he chuckled, as he looked down at her beautiful face. He wanted to commit every inch of Emma Swan to his mind, just in case crossing that line would mean the end of his life.

Because Hook was pretty sure it would.

If he were to die that day, Killian Jones wanted to die remembering the incredibly strong woman he'd been privileged enough to know.

"You need to get back to your lad, Swan. And if me crossing that line is the only way to make damned sure you will, then I'll gladly do that." She was already shaking her head in protest, but Hook wouldn't let her speak. He wasn't done, just yet. "I've lived a long life, Emma. Far too long. I thought my purpose in this world was to exact revenge on the man who took the woman I loved from me. But now…. Now I know the truth. My purpose here is to get _you_ back to your son. Let me do this for you, Emma. Let me be a hero for once."

The tears she'd tried so hard to withhold were flowing freely as Hook finished speaking. Emma couldn't believe that she'd finally decided to open her heart once more, to the pirate she'd come to know better than she suspected anyone else ever would, and now she was having to say goodbye to him. "I don't want you to do this," she told him, bringing her own hands up to cup his face.

"I know." Hook smiled softly at her, as he pulled her in a little closer, until their chests were brushing against each other's. "But you need to let me do this for you, Emma. You have to let me go."

Emma closed the remaining distance between the two of them to bury herself in his chest. She allowed herself a moment as she sobbed for everything and everyone she had already lost in her life, and everything she was about to lose once more. Hook held her tightly, hiding his face in her hair, to disguise his own tears.

Saying goodbye to Emma Swan was the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life.

When her shoulders had finally finished shaking with her sobs, he took a step back, and slid his fingers under her chin, to tilt her head up to meet his. He knew that if he didn't make his move soon, he never would. And he would _not_ condemn Emma to the life he knew Cora and Blackbeard had planned for her. "Whatever happens, the moment that barrier comes down, you run like hell. Do you understand me?"

Emma nodded her head resolutely as she reached up to dash away the tears that were beginning to form once more.

"Goodbye, Emma Swan," he whispered. "It was a true honor to have known you."

"Goodbye, Killian Jones," she whispered back, leaning up to press her lips to his, one last time.

The rush of energy that swept over the two of them at the brief contact was unlike anything Killian had ever felt.

And just like the kind that Emma had experience for the very first time, only a few short weeks before.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading.**


	22. Chapter 22

Hook and Emma both pulled apart at the same moment, their eyes springing open in shock. They didn't need to ask what had just happened. They both knew. Even with no experience of his own, Hook had heard enough stories to know _exactly_ what that was.

"We need to go," he stated suddenly, his brain slowly catching up after the shock of the revelation that had hit them both. Emma was still blinking up at him sluggishly, stunned by what had just taken place. "Emma," he called out, a little more firmly, as he gently shook her shoulder. "We _have_ to go. There's no way Cora didn't feel that. We need to move. Now!"

"Okay," she agreed eventually. "Yeah. We should go. Do you really think it's broken?"

"Aye, I do," he assured her, as he offered her his hand to take. She hesitated for the briefest of seconds, that had Hook's heart sinking in his chest. Of course she would start building those walls back up again now. He should have expected that, given what he knew of her past. When he finally felt her fingers lace with his, in a way that had become so familiar over the last few days, Hook allowed himself to breath a heavy sigh of relief. It didn't last long, however, as the urgency of their situation struck him once more, and he tugged gently on Emma's hand to encourage her to start moving.

"Are we heading anywhere in particular?" she asked after a few moments, as she struggled to keep up with him. For a man who had spent a lot of his time at sea, Hook sure knew his way around the forest, as he tore a path through it. Emma appreciated that he was making a conscious effort to keep them on as even ground as possible, so she wouldn't risk falling and slowing them both down.

"Aye," he called back to her. "Cora made a mistake setting up camp where she did. I know exactly where we are." He said nothing else, but Emma wouldn't doubt his sense of direction. Hook was winding through the trees with ease, at a pace she could barely keep up with. And even if he failed to get them to where he thought he was going, Emma trusted him to at least help put some distance between them, and the evil witch that had held them captive.

When they finally emerged on the other side of the forest, the first thing that hit her was the smell of the sea air, as she took in the cliffs they were stood on, looking out over a vast and beautiful ocean.

The next was a sudden burst of magic, that managed to knock them both off their feet.

"Did you really think I wouldn't know?" Cora asked, as she paced in front of the two of them. She didn't even bother to watch while they picked themselves up off the floor, and moved back towards each other. "Did you _really_ think you'd manage to get away from me?"

"Well, we got this far," Emma quipped. "I'd say we're doing pretty well."

The laugh that Cora gave sounded inhumane. Emma had to work hard to fight back the chills that were attempting to climb her spine at the sound of it. She'd never heard anything like it before.

"You call this _doing pretty well_?" she mocked. "Let's see just _how_ well you're doing, shall we?" Her hand shot out into the air, and for a moment, nothing happened. Until Cora pulled her arm back, and Emma watched in horror as Hook was flung across the open ground, all the way past the witch, until he was dangling out over the cliff top, suspended only by magic.

"Killian!" Emma cried, darting forward as if she could help pull him back in, by the sheer force of her willpower alone. Until Cora raised her other hand, in the universal signal for her to stop.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she warned. "All it takes it just a little click of my fingers, and your new love here drops to his death on the rocks below."

"What do you want?" Emma asked, as she raised her hands in submission. She kept one eye on Hook, (whose own were firmly fixed on her), and the other on the witch that literally held his life in her hands.

"I told you what I wanted. I _want_ to get back to your Land Without Magic. I _want_ to reunite with my daughter. I _want_ to get to know my grandson. And I _will_ find a way to do that," she sneered.

"Do you really think hurting Killian is the way to inspire me to help you?"

"I don't need your help," Cora laughed manically. "I needed you for leverage. Pirates can be tricky to deal with. Your boyfriend was my insurance plan. But after that little stunt you both pulled back at the camp, I think it's time we cut our ties with dear old Captain Hook, don't you?"

She turned back to face the pirate who was still dangling in mid-air, and Emma's heart lurched. "I wonder what it will be that kills you?" Cora taunted. "The rocks, or the water itself? They always said a sailor's greatest fear was drowning. I guess we'll find out just how true that is."

Emma watched on horrified as Cora's actions seemed to play out before her, in slow motion. She knew she needed to act, but she wasn't sure _how_. Nothing she'd practiced so far would help her save Killian's life, in that moment.

As the witch brought her hand up to send Hook to a watery grave, Emma moved, guided only by her instincts. She crossed the space left between the two of them as quickly as she possibly could, and plunged her hand into the older woman's back without thinking.

Everything went deadly quiet and still, as Cora turned her head, to look down at what had just happened. When she spotted the arm buried in her back, she began cackling once more. "Stupid girl," she chided. "I put a protection spell on my heart _decades_ ago."

Emma wasn't sure how she knew it, but every fiber of her being was screaming that her own magic was winning out over Cora's darkness, in that moment. With a firm tug, she wrenched her arm back to display the dark heart that was still beating in the palm of her hand.

"Foolish witch," she mocked, as a look of horror crossed Cora's face. "Don't you know that light magic always beats dark?"

"No. That can't be. It's not possible. No!"

"Pull him back," Emma commanded darkly.

She watched as Cora struggled to resist the order, but eventually lost the battle. With a simple wave of her hand, Hook was standing beside Emma once more. She reached for his metal appendage, without taking her eyes off the witch, just to reassure herself that he was solid, and real, and by her side.

Where he belonged.

There was a long moment where nobody said anything. They simply watched as the grotesquely dark heart in Emma's palm beat out it's ugly tune, before she curled her fingers around it and squeezed gently.

Cora fell to her knees before the two of them instantly, a groan of pain escaping her lips, even as she tried not to let it show.

"You don't need to do this," Hook protested quickly, as he stepped in closer, to wrap his arm around Emma's shoulders. He could see the battle taking place behind her eyes. Hook knew the allure of darkness all too well, and he would _not_ allow it to corrupt someone as pure and innocent as Emma Swan. Because now that they had Cora at such a disadvantage, she was contemplating ending things with the witch for good. "Send her away," he begged instead. "We can leave _that_ somewhere for her to find, when we've left."

"She'll follow us eventually," Emma countered. She squeezed a little tighter, and watched as Cora fell forward at the sudden burst of pain in her chest. "She'll take that bean from Blackbeard and come to Storybrooke anyway. And then there will be no stopping her. She'll kill Henry… my parents… _you_. I have to end this while I can."

"Then we'll take the heart with us," Hook argued. "She can't hurt anyone if we have full control of her."

"What happens when she catches up to us and finds it? Or Regina finds out what we've done?" Emma finally pulled her eyes from the heart still beating in her fist, as she turned them up to face the pirate at her side. "I can't risk that."

"You can." Killian reached out to gently wrap his hand around the one holding Cora's heart, as he brought the back of his hook up to trace the curve of her cheek. "This isn't you, Swan. You're not a killer. There's another way. There's _always_ another way. Think about this. What would your parents do?"

Emma's face softened at the thought of her mother and father. It had seemed like an eternity since she had last seen their faces. She was so close to getting back to them both.

And to Henry. The little boy she had unconsciously thought about _every single day_ , for the last ten years.

She didn't want to return to the people she loved with a dark secret hanging over her head. Emma knew that she would never be able to face her son - who so fiercely believed that his mother, _the Savior_ , was everything good and pure about the world - knowing that she'd taken another person's life. That would make her no better than Regina was.

But she also knew that Cora couldn't be trusted.

Emma squeezed her eyes shut tight, as memories of the past few months in Storybrooke flooded her mind. Sharing coca with Mary-Margret in the loft. Reading the book at Granny's with Henry…

Then it hit her.

A page that Henry had shown her in his book formed clearly in her mind.

"The cell," she breathed. "We can put her in Rumpelstiltskin's cell!"

"There's my brilliant and beautiful Swan," Hook praised gently, as he pressed a relieved kiss to her hairline.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading.**


	23. Chapter 23

Emma was grateful that Hook seemed to know his way around the fairytale land that they were trapped in, because for as much as she had heard of the legendary cell that had been built to contain the Dark One, she had no idea how to get to it. She assumed that Hook had never been to the dungeon before either, given his history with Rumpelstiltskin. But he obviously knew enough of the land he'd been trapped in, for the last twenty-eight-years, to navigate his way their easily.

"This will hold her, right?" she worried, as they pushed their way through yet more dense forestry, on their trek to Cora's new home.

"If it can hold the Crocodile, Love, it can definitely hold her."

Hook had barely taken his eyes off the witch since Emma had commanded her to start walking. He knew that while Swan held her heart, cradled securely in the palm of her hand, Cora was powerless to disobey her. But he still didn't trust a witch as powerful and evil as she was.

"Why is her heart black?" Swan asked suddenly, looking down at the organ still beating in her hands. A black cloud seemed to be swirling inside of it, almost completely covering the neon-pink glow at the very center. The feel of it was all wrong, and Emma couldn't wait to shove the organ back where it belonged. Nobody should ever know the feel of another living person's heart, beating in their hands.

"I've heard it said that when one commits an act of darkness, it literally darkens the heart. But until now, I'd never seen evidence to support that assumption."

The shudder that passed through Emma's body at his words sent Hook's head spinning. He wondered if she was thinking about how dark his own heart would be. He knew that if hers were ever to be removed, it would be a pure and blinding light. There wasn't an ounce of darkness inside Emma Swan, of that he was absolutely certain.

But the same could not be said for him.

"Hey." Emma reached out softly, to run the backs of her fingers over Hook's cheek. "Your heart isn't anything like hers," she reassured him.

"I've done many a bad thing in my lifetime, Emma. I wouldn't be so sure of that."

"But you've also done some good," she countered. "You were willing to give up your own life, to help me get back to my son. That's an act of pure selflessness, Killian. If it's true that committing dark acts will darken your heart, then maybe it's also true that committing acts of goodness will lighten it?"

Cora scoffed at the idea from her place in front of them.

"Shut the fuck up," Emma commanded, without removing her eyes from Hook. She was ready to be free of any and all things Cora related.

Hook reached up to cover her hand, where it had drifted down to his neck, and brought it over to his lips, to place a delicate kiss to the back of it. "Thank you, Love." He wasn't sure he believed Emma's theory. But the fact that she was willing to believe that he was capable of change meant more to him than the color of his heart ever would.

Emma was starting to realize that she hadn't been the only one trapped in their cave, who just needed someone to believe in them, in order to achieve their full potential. Hook might have held a carefully crafted reputation of cruelty and horror, but she knew that underneath it all, he was simply a lost boy, doing his best to survive and flourish, in a world that had turned its back on him. Just as she had been doing, before Henry had found her.

"How much further is this thing?" she finally asked, attempting to lighten the mood a little. "I _really_ can't wait to get back to a world with heating… and indoor plumbing… and onion rings."

"Onion rings?" Hook raised a brow in her direction at the strange turn of phrase. He knew what an onion was. He knew what rings were. But given the advancements Emma's world claimed to have over his own, he couldn't understand why one would choose to wear an onion, as a ring.

"You are in for such a treat when we get home," Emma chuckled. "First stop will be the loft – so I can show you how to work the shower. You can borrow some of David's clothes, until we get you some new ones to wear. Then over to Granny's for some good, greasy comfort food."

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin's cell was everything Emma had thought it would be, and more. Set into one of the deepest and darkest caves in the land, Hook lead the way through to the small prison that the dwarves had created, for the darkest of magic users.

"Home, sweet home," Emma teased, as she fought back the chills that wanted to climb her spine once more. "I hope it's as comfortable as it looks."

"Just put her in the bloody thing and let's go," Hook suggested. The place was giving him chills, and that said a lot, given the encounters he'd had in his past.

"I just wanna check it over first," Emma mumbled, as she made her way around the place that Cora would be living in, for the foreseeable future. She had no doubts that the witch would eventually find a way out of it. She just hoped that by the time she did, any chances Cora had of making her way back to Storybrooke would be gone for good. Leaving the witch trapped alone in a realm that her daughter's curse had devastated.

The lone item Emma could spot in the prison was a small notebook, that she picked up and flicked through, as Hook peered down at it over her shoulder. The name _Emma_ was the only thing written inside of it, hundreds of times over.

"Well, that's not creepy at all," she remarked, as she tucked the book into the back of her jeans, to take back home with her. The look in Hook's eyes seemed to suggest that he agreed. "Okay." Emma turned her attention back to Cora, before she fixed an overly cheery smile onto her face, and ordered, "In you go now."

The witch, having been commanded to shut up earlier into their journey, was unable to make a witty comeback of her own. Instead, she was forced to watch as Hook pulled on the lever that operated the gate to the cell, dropping the two doors into place, to hold her captive.

"Come here," Emma finally demanded, and Cora was forced to approach the dangerously sharp looking bars on her prison's door. When she was close enough to touch, Emma reached out and roughly shoved her heart back into the place she'd taken it from. "There. We're done now. But make no mistakes," she threatened. "If I _ever_ see you in my town, the next time I take your heart, you won't be getting it back."

"This isn't over," Cora called out, as she watched Emma turn on her heels and begin walking from the cave, with Hook trailing after her like the love-sick puppy he was turning into. "This cell won't hold me forever."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Emma mumbled, before she took Hook's hand firmly into her own and turned to ask him, "Are you ready to go home?"

"Aye, Love. I am," he agreed. A breathtaking smile worked its way onto his face, and Emma swore he'd never looked so beautiful.

Hook had never truly had a place to call home before, aside from the Jolly Roger. But with Emma Swan at his side, he knew that was about to change.

"And I have just the thing to see us back safely."

* * *

 **This is the final full chapter for this story. There is a small epilogue to come, and that will post tomorrow.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	24. Epilogue

**I figured that today was a great day to end this story, given that it's my birthday. So, I'll save all my ramblings until the end.**

* * *

David had been attempting to enjoy a nice lunch with his family at Granny's, that afternoon. Attempting being the key word, given that Snow had been back in Storybrooke for almost three weeks, and there was still no sign of Emma returning. He'd tried to keep things as normal as possible for Henry. But David knew that with every day that passed, both his wife and grandson's hopes of ever being reunited with their daughter and mother dwindled.

Until that afternoon, when Leroy had barged his way into the diner to yell, slightly breathlessly, "Pirate ship! There's a pirate ship headed this way."

"Pirate ship?" David asked. He was confused as to why a pirate ship would be sailing its way into Storybrooke harbor. The little town wasn't exactly full of the kind of hidden treasure pirates were known for taking an interest in.

Snow threw him a hopeful look as she stood from her seat to declare, "Hook!"

David had never seen her move so fast before. He watched as his wife threw herself out of the small booth, and tore after Leroy, who was already leading the way down to the docks. David kept pace with Henry, telling himself not to get his hopes up just yet. For all they knew, Emma was still trapped back in their old land, and this was some fresh villain on their way to town, looking to cause trouble.

When they finally made it down to the docs, he took a good look around to watch as the majority of the town gathered together, their faces full of cautious hope that their savior had managed to find a way out of Cora's evil clutches, and back home to her son. It was only when the ship was finally close enough to make out the two figures stood onboard, that Henry declared, "Mom!" and the hope on the faces of the people gathered around them melted away, leaving behind their relief and happiness, that a family they knew and loved so well, would finally be reunited once more.

David watched as the pirate, dressed head-to-toe in black leather, effortlessly guided his towering ship into the small dock of Storybrooke harbor, anchoring it in place so that it wouldn't be swept away with the tide. Snow had told him all about Hook's involvement in her time spent back in the Enchanted Forest. David knew that a pirate with a reputation such as the one Captain Hook held was not an individual he could trust easily. But, as he watched Hook extend his hand to help Emma make her way down the gangplank, and off the ship, David realized that at the very least, he owed the guy a drink for helping to reunite his family.

Emma didn't hesitate to pull her son into her arms, as the tension in her shoulders seemed to drain away before their eyes. "I was so worried about you," she mumbled into Henry's hair, between the kisses she was busy placing to the top of his head, as she held her boy close.

"I knew you'd be back," he gushed. "If anyone could beat the evil witch to get back home, it was the savior."

"Well… I had some help," Emma chuckled, throwing a look over her shoulder at the pirate who was stood awkwardly just behind her. "Hey Kid, do you wanna meet Captain Hook?" she asked.

Henry's eyes lit up with all of the excitement Emma had been expecting, at the mention of the legendary fairytale pirate stood amongst their ranks. "He doesn't look like Captain Hook," the young boy stated, as his eyes roamed over Hook's form. When they met the pirate's own, he winked in Henry's direction, before allowing his namesake to slip free from where he'd been holding it behind his back, to wave at the child. "Captain Hook?" Henry asked, suddenly forgetting all about his mother, as he pushed past her to face the pirate.

"At your service, Lad," Hook replied. He made a show of bowing deeply to Henry, which caused the boy laugh freely for the first time since his mother had fallen through a hat portal.

"Did a crocodile really eat your hand?" Henry asked. His excitement was building as all of the questions he wanted to ask the captain began rushing to the front of his mind.

Hook threw a puzzled look at Emma, over her son's shoulders, before he turned back to give Henry his full attention. "No, Lad. But it was a crocodile who took it."

"Wow. That's so cool." Henry paused for a moment, presumably trying to recreate the scene in his mind, before he asked, "Is Peter Pan also real?"

Emma quickly jumped in to save Hook from any further invasive questions. "How about we take Killian back to the loft and show him what a shower is?" she suggested. "I could use one too. And when we're finished, we can all go to Granny's, to get some decent food that I haven't had to hunt and skin to eat, and _then_ you can ask him all of your questions?"

"You don't know what a shower is?" Henry queried, tilting his head up to look at the pirate stood amongst the rest of the town. Hook looked decidedly out of place amidst the rest of the town's residents.

He brought his hand up to scratch nervously behind his right ear, while he answered the boy's last question. "Um… no, Lad. The world I grew up in is very different to your own. But, your mother has promised to show me everything I need to know to get by here. Maybe…. Maybe you could help her?"

"Definitely!" Henry's face brightened further at the thought of teaching Hook everything he would need to know about the modern world, (and some things he wouldn't, but Henry felt he should), and the pirate's own relaxed as it did. If David had to guess, he would say that Hook had been worried about getting Henry's approval.

While the young lad led the way back into town, and to the loft that he'd been calling home since the curse had broken, David watched as Emma and Hook lingered back a little. Not enough that they couldn't still hear and reply to Henry's many questions about what Hook did and didn't know about the modern world, but enough that they could have their own private conversation, without being overheard.

David noticed the way the two of them whispered back and forth with each other, clearly comfortable being in the other's personal space. He saw the way the fingers of Hook's only hand found his daughter's, and how the two of them grasped on to each other tightly for the longest of seconds, before they let go, and Emma jogged the few steps ahead to catch up to her son. And he recognized the look on Hook's face, as he watched Emma, from his place a few steps behind her. While the pirate was still answering Henry's many questions animatedly, Hook kept most of his focus on the boy's mother.

Snow glanced up at her husband as she laced their fingers together, and whispered softly, "What's wrong?"

David squeezed her hand a little tighter, before he told her, "I think our daughter might be in love with Captain Hook."

* * *

 **Wow - first of all, a huge thank you to everyone who has read, commented, shared and messaged me about this story. When I first started writing it, I only decided to upload it in the hopes of inspiring myself to finish the story. I'll be honest and say I never expected myself to do so. You all know that Canon Divergent is not my strong point. So, your support throughout this journey has been instrumental to keeping me going (even when my own husband was causing issues for me).**

 **I'm marking this piece as complete now, but there is always the possibility that I may come back to add some missing or future scenes to the story. If there's anything in particular you'd like to see, please feel free to let me know.**

 **Thanks again to everyone who has joined me for this journey. I'm gonna go cry into my birthday cake for a little while, before attempting to get the next chapter of Figure It Out up.**


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